THE EXTRACTION OF THE THERMAL RADIATION ASSOCIATED WITH GREENHOUSE GASES FROM AIRS MEASUREMENTS

For the purpose of investigating the contributions of various gases to climate change, the thermal radiation associated with greenhouse gases are extracted from AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) infrared radiances over the tropical pacific region. AIRS instrument which was launched on the EOS-Aqua satellite in May 2002 covers the spectral range from 650 cm-1 to 2700 cm-1 with a spectral resolution of between 0.4 cm-1 and 1 cm-1. In order to extract the thermal radiation absorbed by individual gases, the interfering background radiances at the top of the atmosphere are simulated using the radiative transfer code MODTRAN (MODerate spectral resolution atmospheric TRANsmittance). The simulations incorporated the temperature and water vapor profiles taken from NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) reanalyses. The differences between the simulated background radiance and AIRS-measured radiance result in the absorption of upward longwave radiation by atmospheric gases (i.e. greenhouse effect). The extracted absorption bands of individual gases will allow us to quantify the radiative forcing of individual greenhouse gases and thus those data will be useful for climate change studies and for the validation of radiative transfer codes used in general circulation models.