A constrained algorithm for retrieval of stratocumulus cloud properties using solar radiation, microwave radiometer, and millimeter cloud radar data

Nonprecipitating liquid phase clouds of the planetary boundary layer are im portant components of the Earth's energy budget. Modem remote sensors are a ble to probe these clouds with increasing precision and detail, and extensi ve boundary layer cloud data sets are being generated at multiple sites aro und the world. In this paper we integrate several recent cloud property ret rieval algorithms targeted at boundary layer stratocumulus clouds into a si ngle framework that returns the vertical profile of microphysical propertie s. The new algorithm guarantees consistency among the radar reflectivity pr ofile, the microwave radiometer-derived liquid water path, and the surface solar flux transmission ratio. We demonstrate a 0.9 mum root-mean-square di fference and 0.89 correlation coefficient when results from the new approac h are compared to aircraft-observed volume mean cloud droplet radii. An add itional stratocumulus case study observed at an Atmospheric Radiation Measu rement site is briefly described.