Retrieval of Outgoing Longwave Radiation from the Fengyun-3D Satellite and Its Climate Applications

Abstract

The Fengyun-3D (FY-3D) satellite is a Chinese Earth observation satellite with high spectral resolution that can provide multi-spectral observations under all weather conditions. Outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) is an important parameter in the earth radiation energy balance and can reflect changes in atmospheric circulation and convective activity in response to incoming solar radiation. To apply the OLR data of the FY-3D satellite (F_OLR) to weather and climate analyses, the traditional single-channel OLR inversion algorithm for the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) satellite was used to calculate F_OLR, and the difference between F_OLR and the OLR data of the NOAA 18 satellite (N_OLR) was analyzed. A correction algorithm was proposed to correct F_OLR to match N_OLR; the spatiotemporal consistency of the corrected F_OLR and N_OLR was evaluated, and the two types of OLR data were used to analyze the onset of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon (SCSSM) and typhoon precipitation in China. The results showed that the corrected F_OLR and N_OLR were consistent in both temporal variation and spatial distribution and that the monitoring of the SCSSM and typhoon precipitation by the two types of OLR data was also in agreement, showing their equivalent quality. Finally, the N_OLR (2006–2019) and the corrected F_OLR (2020-present) were combined to form a long time series OLR dataset that was used in the Beijing Climate Center climate monitoring system in China to monitor abnormal changes in the global convective activity. This study can provide a reference method for future weather and climate applications of Chinese satellites.