Atmospheric Remote Sensing

Abstract

The course will provide advanced physical understanding on the fundamentals of passive and active remote sensing, measuring sensors and retrieval methods. A series of diverse remote sensing applications will be presented, including measurements/retrievals of various atmospheric composition parameters (ozone, aerosols, clouds, others) from surface based and satellite based instruments.

Objective

The students will learn how various components of the atmosphere are retrieved from radiation measurements, both from surface and satellite-based measurements.

Content

Atmospheric passive and active remote sensing is connected with a large number of applications including: atmospheric composition, Earth-atmosphere radiative balance, atmospheric and weather prediction model assimilation, agriculture, energy and health related applications and many others. The proposed lesson is divided in three sections including exercises: • Fundamentals of remote sensing • Sensors (surface based and satellites) and retrieval methods • Applications The first aim of the lecture is to provide an in-depth understand of the physical aspects and basic laws on the fundamentals of remote sensing to the students. The lectures will provide a basic to intermediate understanding of radiative transfer of electromagnetic radiation through the atmosphere, covering the spectrum from UV to thermal. Examples of atmospheric components that will be addressed are: ozone, aerosols, greenhouse gases, clouds, water vapor. In addition, measuring sensors used from the surface or from satellites and the relevant retrieval methods based on passive and active remote sensing of atmospheric composition will be presented (e.g. Spectroradiometers, filter radiometers, Lidars and others). Finally, we aim to demonstrate a series of diverse remote sensing applications, including atmospheric composition measurements and retrievals from surface- and satellite-based instruments, including calibration and validation aspects. The exercises will be embedded in the overall course lectures to provide hands-on experience with the measurements and retrieval methods using datasets available from specific instruments (e.g. satellite sensors) and networks (e.g. EUBREWNET, AERONET, GAWPFR).

Resources