CIMSS Science Symposium Focuses on Clouds

November 29, 2013 | Mark Hobson

“Where are we going in the future? What directions might we take?”

Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) Director Steve Ackerman asked these questions of the presenters and the audience of students and scientists at the Third CIMSS Science Symposium on 25 November 2013. The symposia, held two times per year, support the CIMSS mission of collaborative research and excellence in research and education.

CIMSS Director Steve Ackerman with presenters Paul Menzel, Elisabeth Weisz, and Robert Holz.

The theme of this Symposium, satellite observations of clouds, reflects a major strength of CIMSS climate research. The presentations highlighted several of the different techniques that CIMSS researchers use to analyze clouds and cloud properties. Topics ranged from Paul Menzel’s examination of 30-plus years of High-resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) data and how that deep archive can be reprocessed and recalibrated to enable better understanding of the climate record. Other presentations covered cloud studies via satellite-mounted lidar, microwave, and radar instruments.

Throughout the event, Ackerman emphasized that the purpose of the Symposium was not only to allow CIMSS scientists to share their current cloud research, but also to plan future research directions.

Following the talks, the speakers formed a panel and responded to questions and suggestions from the audience in an energetic discussion about how to proceed in their studies of clouds and the Earth’s atmosphere.

After their presentations Tristan L’Ecuyer, Robert Holz, Paul Menzel, Andrew Heidinger, Mark Kulie, Elisabeth Weisz, and Steve Ackerman fielded questions and suggestions from the audience

The presentations:

Paul Menzel – Detection of Very High Clouds