Cloud Parameter Retrieval from Mipas Data

Clouds are a source of major uncertainty in climate models it is thus important to accurately model clouds in order to determine their properties. In this work, three cloud parameters (cloud top height, cloud top temperature and cloud extinction coefficient) are used to model the radiance measured in the MIPAS field-of-view as they represent the most obvious physical, thermodynamic and optical properties, respectively, of a cloud. Finally, this model is implemented in an optimal estimations-type retrieval of cloud top height, temperature and extinction coefficient from real MIPAS spectra.