Meteorological Society of New Zealand
Auckland Branch Meeting

Wednesday, October 11th, 6:00 pm
Curious Cloud Patterns Seen from Low Earth Orbit

Prof. Roger Davies
Buckley-Glavish Professor of Climate Physics
Physics Department, The University of Auckland

The Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) on the Terra
satellite measures reflected solar radiation from the Earth's
surface, atmosphere, and clouds at high spatial resolution (275 m)
with nine fixed cameras looking at different directions fore and aft
along the orbital track. The orbital swath is about 350 km wide,
from pole to pole. We have seen a number of very interesting cloud
formations in this imagery that I will show. We described some of
these (Actinoform clouds) in the October 2004 issue of the Bulletin
of the American Meteorological Society, and there are many other
interesting examples in the cloud gallery that are unpublished.
Because of the multiangle views, it is possible to create stereo
imagery that brings out the three-dimensional structure of some of
the deeper clouds. As time permits, I'll also talk a little about
the quantitative meteorological products from MISR, which include
measurements of cloud-top heights, cloud albedos, and cloud-tracked
winds.
Tea, coffee and snacks in the Physics Common Room 7th Floor starting
at 5:30pm
Seminar in SLT1 starting at 6:00pm

Maths Physics Building, 38 Princes Street
The University of Auckland
Corner Princes Street and Wellesley Street
Parking on Princes Street (Parking Meters but free from 6pm)

For more details contact:
Kim Dirks
3737-599 Ext: 86301
k.dirks@...

Take lift to 6th floor and then go up one flight of stairs
to get to the Physics Common Room