Abstract
This study describes the development of a new globally gridded climate data record (CDR) for daily outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) using the High-Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) sensor. The new product, hereafter referred to as HIRS OLR, has several differences and advantages over the widely-used daily OLR dataset derived from the Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor on the same NOAA Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), hereafter AVHRR OLR. As a CDR, HIRS OLR has been intersatellite-calibrated to provide the most homogeneous record possible. AVHRR OLR only used the daytime and nighttime overpasses from a single satellite at a time, which creates some challenges for resolving the large diurnal cycle of OLR. HIRS OLR leverages all available overpasses and then calibrates geostationary estimates of OLR to represent that cycle more faithfully. HIRS also has more spectral channels, including those for measuring water vapor, which provides a more accurate measure of OLR. This difference is particularly relevant for large-scale convective systems such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the Madden–Julian Oscillation, whereby the HIRS OLR can better identify the subtropical variability between the tropical convection and the extratropical teleconnections.
Highlights
Outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) is one of the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO’s) essential climate variables and is a key component of the earth’s radiation budget
This paper describes a new daily gridded OLR dataset that was recently developed as part of NOAA’s Climate Data Record Program
Both Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and High-Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) have evolved over the generations of satellites, yet even sensors designed on the ground to be identical may produce different results once in orbit
Summary
Outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) is one of the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO’s) essential climate variables and is a key component of the earth’s radiation budget. Like many atmospheric observing platforms, the NOAA POES sensors were designed and maintained to support weather forecasting, which means they may not be ideal for climate analysis [10] Both AVHRR and HIRS have evolved over the generations of satellites, yet even sensors designed on the ground to be identical may produce different results once in orbit. Intersatellite calibration produces a more homogeneous record It uses all available NOAA POES and MetOp satellites to maximize the coverage, and geostationary estimates of OLR are calibrated to the HIRS values to improve the fidelity of the diurnal cycle. In addition to these algorithmic changes, the HIRS sensor is sensitive to water vapor, which gives a more robust estimate of the OLR and the associated variations in tropical convection
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