New Surface Spectral Albedo VAP Provides Surface Type Observations at Southern Great Plains

Published: 16 August 2011

The Surface Spectral Albedo (SURFSPECALB) value-added product (VAP) has been released for operational production at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) site. This VAP creates a near-continuous best estimate of broadband and narrowband downwelling irradiance, upwelling irradiances, and surface albedo using the multifilter radiometers (MFRs) on the 10-m and 60-m towers and the multifilter rotating shadowband radiometers (MFRSRs) at the SGP Central Facility. 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 new 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. Additionally, broadband values integrated from SURFSPECALB are used as inputs to the Radiatively Important Parameters Best Estimate (RIPBE) and Broadband Heating Rate Profiles (BBHRP) VAPs. An example surface spectral flux file and an IDL routine for integrating the spectral albedo are available upon request to aid users in integrating the albedos across a specific wavelength range for their own use.

Data from January 2004 onwards at SGP have been processed and are available at the archive. Future data will be operationally processed on a monthly basis. Historical data from 2001 to 2003 at SGP will be processed once the sgpirt25mC1.b1 datastream has been reprocessed.

More information on SURFSPECALB is available at the VAP web page. To access these data, log in to the Data Archive. (Go here to request an account.)