Reply to comment on "Retrieval of aerosol properties over the ocean using multispectral and multiangle photopolarimetric measurements from the Research Scanning Polarimeter"
B. Cairns et al., Reply to comment on "Retrieval of aerosol properties over the ocean using multispectral and multiangle photopolarimetric measurements from the Research Scanning Polarimeter", GEOPHYS R L, 28(17), 2001, pp. 3277-3278
In a recent paper [Chowdhary et al., 2001; hereafter CCM&T], we showed that
the inclusion of polarimetric information provides superior results in the
retrieval of aerosol properties to those obtained using only the intensity
. Having previously shown detailed theoretical analyses of the superiority
of well calibrated polarimetric remote sensing to intensity only remote sen
sing of aerosols [Mishchenko and Travis 1997a, b], the purpose of CCM&T was
to demonstrate that such analyses carry over to actual measurements. The e
xcellent agreement between upward looking sunphotometer measurements of spe
ctral optical depth and those inferred from the Research Scanning Polarimet
er (RSP) measurements (Fig. 2 of CCM&T) provides a first demonstration of t
he validity of the previous theoretical analyses in a natural setting. In t
heir commentary [this issue] Martonchik, Kahn, Diner and West (hereafter MK
D&W) discuss the complementarity of polarimetric remote sensing and the typ
e of measurements made by MISR. We would concur with MKD&W that it is "esse
ntial to validate retrieved spectral refractive indices and particle size d
istributions" that are possible with polarimetric measurements, just as it
is essential to evaluate and validate the true capabilities of MISR. We loo
k forward to such evaluation and analysis of RSP measurements in future co-
ordinated field campaigns. In the following we discuss why we believe the s
et of measurements and the analysis presented in CCM&T provides a fair, alt
hough not perfect, representation of the capabilities of MISR and discuss t
he other issues raised by MKD&W.