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The MLS Cloud Ice Product

Contact: Alyn Lambert


Basic Information

Cloud ice water content (IWC) is defined as cloud ice mass in unit volume of atmospheric air. It can vary largely from 0.0001 g/m3 in thin cirrus to 1 g/m3 inside convective core. The vertically integrated column of IWC is ice water path (IWP).
Illustration of MLS cloud ice
Sample ice water retrieval map


How it is part of MLS Science Objectives


Clouds are a major source of uncertainty in understanding climate change of our home planet. Important to cloud radiative and hydrological properties, IWC is the key variable that connects cloud macrophysical
and microphysical (such as ice particle sizes and shapes) properties. MLS cloud ice measurements can be used to reduce uncertainties in climate model parameterizations so that cloud physics/processes can be better represented.

MLS IWC has units of g/m^3.


How EOS MLS derives IWC
The standard product for IWC is retrieved from the 240 GHz cloud-induced radiances (Tcir) at 215 - 68 hPa. The IWC- Tcir relation is calculated using a radiative transfer model where ice particle size distribution is prescribed based on in-situ data. The modeled IWC-Tcir relation forms the basis of the operational IWC retrieval, which converts Tcir directly to IWC without any inversion.

The MLS IWC represents an average quantity over the volume of ~300 x 7 x 4 km3 (length, width, height) near the tangent point of each Tcir measurement. Cloud inhomogeneity and assumptions about particle size distribution are largest uncertainties. Averaging MLS IWC data (e.g. monthly) helps to reduce some of the inhomogeneity-induced uncertainties but the uncertainties induced by particle size assumptions (~100%) cannot be reduced.

 

Another sample ice water retrieval map at 147 hPa


Quick Product Information for data version v3.3

  • Swath Name: IWC
  • Useful Range: 215 - 83 hPa
  • DAAC Short Name: ML2IWC

Publications related to the MLS IWC data product

Future Publications

  1. Flury, T., "Correlation among cirrus ice content, water vapor and temperature in the TTL as observed by CALIPSO and Aura/MLS", num 11, Not yet published. Reprint Supplemental
  2. Hocking, J., "MLS Ice Water Content and Horizontally Finite Clouds", Not yet published. Reprint Supplemental
  3. Huang, J., "Large-Scale Covariability between Aerosol and Precipitation Over the 7-SEAS Region: Observations and Simulations", Not yet published. Reprint Supplemental
  4. Jiang, J.H., "Evaluation of Cloud and Water Vapor Simulations in IPCC AR5 Climate Models Using NASA 'A-Train' Satellite Observations", Not yet published. Reprint Supplemental
  5. Massie, S.T., "A-Train Satellite Observations of Very Little Cloud Invigoration by Aerosols", Not yet published. Reprint Supplemental

2011

  1. Bhawar, R.L., "Variation of upper tropospheric clouds and water vapor over the Indian ocean", vol doi:10.5194/acpd-11-21769-2011, pgs. 11, 2011. Preprint
  2. Gu, Y., "Dust aerosol impact on North Africa climate: a GCM investigation of aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions using A-Train satellite data", vol doi:10.5194/acpd-11-31401-2011, pgs. 11, 2011.
  3. Hendricks, J., "Effects of ice nuclei on cirrus clouds in a global climate model", vol doi:10.1029/2010JD015302, num 116, 2011. Preprint
  4. Huang, L., "Geographic and seasonal distributions of CO transport pathways and their roles in determining CO centers in the upper troposphere", vol doi:10.5194/acpd-11-32423-2011, num 11, 2011. Reprint Preprint
  5. Jiang, J.H., "Influence of convection and aerosol pollution on ice cloud particle effective radius", vol doi:10.5194/acp-11-457-2011, num 11, 2011. Reprint Preprint
  6. Jin, J.J., "Seasonal Variation of Trans-Pacific Transport of Carbon Monoxide (CO) in the Upper Troposphere: MLS Observations and GEOS-Chem and GEM-AQ simulations", vol doi:10.5194/acpd-11-3219-2011, num 11, pgs. 1, 2011. Reprint Preprint
  7. Su, H., "Observed Increase of TTL Temperature and Water Vapor in Polluted Clouds over Asia", num 24, pgs. 11, 2011. Reprint Preprint
  8. Zhang, L., "Impacts of 2006 Indonesian fires and dynamics on tropical upper tropospheric carbon monoxide and ozone", vol doi:10.5194/acp-11-10929-2011, pgs. 11, 2011. Preprint

2010

  1. Eriksson, P., "Diurnal variations of humidity and ice water content in the tropical upper troposphere", vol doi:10.5194/acp-10-11519-2010, num 10, 2010. Preprint
  2. Jiang, J.H., "Five-year (2004-2009) Observations of Upper Tropospheric Water Vapor and Cloud Ice from MLS and Comparisons with GEOS-5 analyses", vol doi:10.1029/2009JD013256, num 115, 2010. Reprint Preprint
  3. Jiang, J.H., "Influence of convection and aerosol pollution on ice cloud particle effective radius", vol doi:10.5194/acpd-10-1-2010, num 10, 2010. Reprint Preprint
  4. Luo, M., "Interpretation of Aura satellite observations of CO and aerosol index related to the December 2006 Australia fires", vol doi:10.1016/j.rse.2010.07.003, num 114, 2010. Reprint Preprint
  5. Su, H., "Reply to comment by Roberto Rondanelli and Richard S. Lindzen on “Variations in convective precipitation fraction and stratiform area with sea surface temperature”", vol doi:10.1029/2009JD012872, num 115, 2010. Preprint
  6. Yan, X., "Global observations of gravity waves from High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder temperature measurements: A yearlong record of temperature amplitude and vertical wavelength", vol doi:10.1029/2008JD011511, num 115, 2010. Preprint

2009

  1. Chauhan, S., "MIPAS reduced spectral resolution UTLS-1 mode measurements of temperature, O3, HNO3, N2O, H2O and relative humidity over ice: retrievals and comparison to MLS", num 2, 2009. Preprint
  2. Jiang, J.H., "Aerosol-CO relationship and aerosol effect on Ice cloud particle size: Analyses from Aura Microwave Limb Sounder and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer observations", vol doi:10.1029/2009JD012421, num 114, 2009. Reprint Preprint
  3. Rydberg, B., "Non-Gaussian Bayesian retrieval of tropical upper tropospheric cloud ice and water vapour from Odin-SMR measurements", num 2, 2009. Preprint
  4. Su, H., "Radiative effects of upper tropospheric clouds observed by Aura MLS and CloudSat", vol doi:10.1029/2009GL037173, num 36, 2009. Reprint Preprint
  5. Tao, W-K., "A Multiscaling Modeling System Developments, Applications, and Critical issues", vol doi:10.1175/2008BAMS2542.1, num 90, pgs. 4, 2009. Reprint Preprint
  6. Waliser, D.E., "Cloud ice: A climate model challenge with signs and expectations of progress", vol doi:10.1029/2008JD010015 , num 114, 2009. Preprint
  7. Wu, D.L., "Comparisons of Global Cloud Ice from MLS, CloudSat, and Correlative Data Sets", vol doi:10.1029/2008JD009946, num 113, 2009. Reprint Preprint

2008

  1. Ekstrom, M., "Altitude resolved ice-fraction in the uppermost tropical troposphere", vol doi:10.1029/2008GL034305, num 35, 2008. Preprint
  2. Eriksson, P., "Comparison between the first Odin-SMR, Aura MLS and CloudSat retrievals of cloud ice mass in the upper tropical troposphere", num 8, 2008. Reprint Preprint
  3. Jiang, J.H., "Clean and polluted clouds: relationships among pollution, ice cloud and precipitation in South America", vol doi:10.1029/2008GL034631, num 35, 2008. Reprint Preprint
  4. Su, H., "Observed Vertical Structure of Tropical Oceanic Clouds Sorted in Large-scale Regimes ", vol doi:10.1029/2008GL035888, num 35, 2008. Reprint Preprint
  5. Su, H., "Variations of tropical upper tropospheric clouds with sea surface temperature and implications for radiative effects", vol doi:10.1029/2007JD009624, num 113, 2008. Reprint Preprint
  6. Wu, D.L., "Aura MLS THz observations of global cirrus near the tropopause", vol doi:10.1029/2008GL034233, num 35, 2008. Reprint Preprint
  7. Wu, D.L., "Validation of the Aura MLS Cloud Ice Water Content (IWC) Measurements", vol doi:10.1029/2007JD008931, num 113, 2008. Reprint Preprint

2007

  1. Davis, C.P., "3D polarised simulations of space-borne passive mm/sub-mm midlatitude cirrus observations: A case study", num 7, 2007. Preprint
  2. Eriksson, P., "First Odin sub-mm retrievals in the tropical upper troposphere: ice cloud properties", num 7, 2007. Reprint Preprint
  3. Kahn, B.H., "Towards the characterization of upper tropospheric clouds using AIRS and MLS observations", vol doi:10.1029/2006JD007336, num 112, 2007. Reprint Preprint
  4. Li, J-L., "Assessing Consistency between EOS MLS and ECMWF Analyzed and Forecast Estimates of Cloud Ice", vol doi:10.1029/2006GL029022, num 34, 2007. Reprint Preprint Abstract
  5. Liu, C., "Geographical and seasonal distribution of tropical tropopause thin clouds and their relation to deep convection and water vapor viewed from satellite measurements", vol doi:10.1029/2006JD007479, num 112, 2007. Reprint Preprint

2006

  1. Cofield, R.E., "Design and field-of-view calibration of 114-660 GHz optics of the Earth Observing System Microwave Limb Sounder", num 44, pgs. no. 5, 2006. Preprint
  2. Fu, R., "Short circuit of water vapor and polluted air to the global stratosphere by convective transport over the Tibetan Plateau", num 103, 2006. Reprint Preprint
  3. Su, H., "Enhanced positive water vapor feedback associated with tropical deep convection: New evidence from Aura MLS", vol doi:10.1029/2005GL025505, num 33, 2006. Preprint
  4. Su, H., "Relationships of upper tropospheric water vapor, clouds and SST: MLS observations, ECMWF analyses and GCM simulations", vol doi:10.1029/2006GL027582, num 33, 2006. Preprint
  5. Wu, D.L., "EOS MLS cloud ice measurements and cloudy-sky radiative transfer model", num 44, pgs. no. 5, 2006. Preprint

2005

  1. Davis, C., "A 3D polarized reversed Monte Carlo radiative transfer model for mm and sub-mm passive remote sensing in cloudy atmospheres", num 43, pgs. no. 5, 2005. Preprint
  2. Davis, C.P., "Cirrus Induced Polarization in 122 GHz Aura Microwave Limb Sounder Radiances", vol doi:10.1029/2005GL022681, num 32, 2005. Preprint
  3. Li, J-L., "Comparisons of EOS MLS Cloud Ice Measurements with ECMWF analyses and GCM Simulations: Initial Results", vol doi:10.1029/2005GL023788, num 32, 2005. Preprint
  4. Wu, D.L., "UARS MLS Cloud Ice Measurements and Implications for H2O Transport near the Tropopause", num 62, 2005. Preprint

2004

  1. Jiang, J.H., "Geographical Distribution and Inter-Seasonal Variability of Tropical Deep Convection: UARS MLS Observations and Analyses", vol doi:10.1029/2003JD003756, num 109, 2004. Preprint
  2. Jiang, J.H., "Ice and Water Permittivities for Millimeter and Sub-millimeter Remote Sensing Applications", num 5, 2004. Preprint



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