Improved determination of surface and atmospheric temperatures using only shortwave AIRS channels: The AIRS Version-6 retrieval algorithm

AIRS was launched on EOS Aqua on May 4, 2002 together with ASMU-A and HSB to form a next generation polar orbiting infrared and microwave atmosphere sounding. The AIRS Science Team Version 6 retrieval system uses only shortwave CO₂ channels to determine temperature profile, and only window observations in the shortwave window region, 4.0 μm - 3.76 μm, to determine both surface skin temperatures and shortwave surface spectral emissivities. The current use of only shortwave AIRS channels in the retrieval of both atmospheric and surface parameters has resulted in significant improvement in the ability to obtain accurate temperature profiles and surface skin temperatures under more stressing partial cloud cover conditions than achieved previously. In this paper, we will show the improvement in retrieved Quality Controlled values of sea surface temperature and ocean spectral surface emissivity compared to those obtained using the AIRS Version-5 retrieval algorithm which used longwave and shortwave window observations simultaneously to determine surface parameters.