The methods for inferring surface fluxes from satellite data, and their use for atmosphere model validation

Abstract

This paper reviews the methods developed to infer surface fluxes from satellite data, with or without the aid of other meteorological information. These methods are based on physical modelling or on statistical relations between satellite measurements and surface parameters. However,their accuracy and their possible applications differ from each other. In particular, the surface radiation budget can be obtained over sea and over particular land areas with rather good accuracy. Some of these methods could constitute the basis for future use in atmosphere models (for climate modelling or meteorological forecasting), but the quality of most of them has still to be assessed. They are therefore rarely directly used to test atmospheric models (weather prediction or climate global circulation models). A preferred approach consists of comparisons between satellite data (either direct measurements or well-established retrieved parameters) and the same parameters derived from models.