A method to retrieve super-thin cloud optical depth over ocean background with polarized sunlight

Sun, W.; Baize, R. R.; Videen, G.; Hu, Y.; Fu, Q.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-11909-2015

Articles | Volume 15, issue 20

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-11909-2015

© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-11909-2015

© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 15, issue 20

Research article

|

27 Oct 2015

Research article |

| 27 Oct 2015

A method to retrieve super-thin cloud optical depth over ocean background with polarized sunlight

W. Sun, R. R. Baize, G. Videen, Y. Hu, and Q. Fu

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Final revised paper (published on 27 Oct 2015)
Preprint (discussion started on 13 Aug 2015)

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment

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- Supplement

RC C6664: 'Review of “A method to retrieve super-thin cloud optical depth over ocean background with polarized sunlight”', Anonymous Referee #1, 08 Sep 2015
- AC C6862: 'Response to the comments of Reviewer 1', Wenbo Sun, 15 Sep 2015
- AC C7806: 'Revised manuscript', Wenbo Sun, 09 Oct 2015
RC C6812: 'Formal review of ‘A method to retrieve super-thin cloud optical depth over ocean background with polarized sunlight’ by Sun et al.', Anonymous Referee #2, 13 Sep 2015
- AC C6863: 'Response to the comments of Reviewer 2', Wenbo Sun, 15 Sep 2015
- AC C7807: 'Revised Manuscript', Wenbo Sun, 09 Oct 2015

Peer-review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision

AR by Wenbo Sun on behalf of the Authors (09 Oct 2015) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Publish as is (17 Oct 2015) by Jianping Huang

AR by Wenbo Sun on behalf of the Authors (19 Oct 2015)

Short summary

A method is reported for retrieving super-thin cloud optical depth with polarized light. It is found that near-backscatter p-polarized light is sensitive to clouds, but not to ocean conditions. Near-backscatter p-polarized intensity linearly relates to super-thin cloud optical depth. Based on these findings, super-thin cloud optical depth can be retrieved with little effect from surface reflection.