SURFSPECALB

The Surface Spectral Albedo (SURFSPECALB) value-added product (VAP) creates a near-continuous best estimate of broadband and narrowband downwelling irradiance, upwelling irradiances, and surface albedo using multifilter radiometers (MFRs) on 10-m and 60-m towers and multifilter rotating shadowband radiometers (MFRSRs). Using these best-estimate values and an algorithm developed by Dr. Eli Mlawer, the VAP identifies the dominant observed surface type for each day at each tower and then extrapolates the 6-channel narrowband MFR albedo values to high spectral resolution at one-minute temporal resolution. Quality control flags are included on all of the output irradiance and albedo values. The methodology for estimating the high-spectral-resolution albedo is described in McFarlane et al. 2011.

The high-resolution surface albedo product enables users to run high-spectral-resolution radiative transfer models or to calculate broadband albedos across specific wavelength ranges of interest for running various broadband radiative transfer models. In addition, broadband values integrated from the surfspecalb1mlawer product are used as inputs to the Radiatively Important Parameters Best Estimate (RIPBE) and Broadband Heating Rate Profiles (BBHRP) VAPs.