CloudSat and the EOS constellation

CloudSat is a multi-satellite satellite experiment designed to utilize the opportunity provided by the EOS constellation to deliver, as-directly as possible, information relevant for assessing the way cloud processes are parameterized in global weather prediction and climate models. In this way, CloudSat will provide a means for the critical evaluation of model prediction of clouds. The prime source of this information is to be extracted from vertical profiles of radar reflectivity obtained with the CloudSat 94 GHz nadir pointing radar. When this information is augmented by other measurements of the constellation, a rich data source for studying clouds, precipitation and the interaction of cloud processes with aerosol can be expected. There remain a number of key challenges for optimally extracting the important information from the suite of constellation measurements. Included in these challenges is the need both to understand the disparate nature of the information content contained in multi-sensor data and develop a retrieval framework that optimizes this information content