SCARF

Cloud cover plays key role in distributing the solar radiation in the atmosphere. The SCARF (Satellite Cloud Climatology over Poland with Atmospheric Radiation Fluxes Estimation) project aims to estimate the fraction cloud cover over Poland with the most advanced satellite-based observations (data collected by MODIS, VIIRS, CPR-CloudSat, CALIOP-Calipso sensors). The goal of the project was to develop cloud cover climatology and then to answer the fundamental questions of what is the cloudiness of Poland, how it changes with space and time, how it is affected by the orography. Moreover, the GIS-ready and GIS-friendly, high spatial resolution (1 km/pixel) maps of cloud cover have been be delivered to the scientific community (the very first data of this kind in Poland).

Project duration:	August 31, 2012 – August 30, 2014
Funding:	National Science Centre
Principal investigator:	dr Andrzej Z. Kotarba (CBK PAN)
Project web-page:	http://chmury.edu.pl/

Scientific papers:

• Kotarba A.Z., Regional high-resolution cloud climatology based on MODIS cloud detection data. International Journal of Climatology, doi:10.1002/joc.4539.
• Kotarba A.Z., 2015. Impact of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) cloud mask interpretation on cloud amount estimation. Journal of Geophysical Research, 120, 8971-8986, doi:10.1002/2015JD023277.
• Kotarba A.Z., 2015. Evaluation of ISCCP cloud amount with MODIS observations. Atmospheric Research, vol. 153, 310-317, doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2014.09.006.