Cloud clearing of infrared sounder radiances

The paper compares the performance of three different schemes for computing clear-sky brightness temperature from cloud-affected measurements. Both the ability to detect clouds and to estimate the equivalent clear-sky brightness temperature are examined. Simulated brightness temperatures computed from the ECMWF operational analysis are used as a reference, together with Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)-derived sea surface temperature and cloud content within High-Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) fields of view. Cloud masks obtained from the cloud-detection schemes are compared with cloud masks obtained from AVHRR data; clear-column brightness temperatures for HIRS/2 channels 4, 7, and 13 are compared with the simulated ones; simulated clear-column brightness temperatures in the HIRS/2 window channel 8 are validated with equivalent products from AVHRR data. The comparison highlights some problems in the operational implementation of the NESDIS cloud-clearing scheme and with the operational filtering scheme of the United Kingdom Meteorological Office.