Abstract
In this work we describe procedures for detection of clouds and water/ice discrimination of the cloud top using the combined information of the polarization data from ADEOS/POLDER (0.865μm) and the infrared data from OCTS (10.9μm). On the basis of the satellite images obtained on November 10, 1996, we show that the cloud detection algorithm for POLDER proposed by CNES tends to overestimate the cloud regions. Better estimation can be obtained by adding a brightness temperature test by means of the OCTS data. A single-scattering simulation, carried out for water droplets and hexagonal ice crystals, indicates that the phase discrimination of the cloud top can be accomplished by comparing the polarized reflection data of POLDER at two scattering angles of 100°and 140°. The result is in reasonable agreement with the classification with the OCTS temperature data.
