Cloud top height plays an important roll in the energy budget and is also important for aviation. This thesis concerns the quality control of cloud top height (CTH) retrievals. The approach for quality controlling retrieved CTH has been using the forward simulating software RTTOV. An error estimation function has been developed as well as an investigation to what simplifications can be done regarding the forward simulations for CTH purposes at SMHI. The purpose of the error estimation function is to validate CTH output from CTH retrieval algorithms by giving a rough error estimate of the retrieved CTH compared to what forward simulations predict. For simplifying the forward simulations the most promising results have been shown for lower clouds. Further testing is still of interest and for future work suggestions are provided regarding the error estimation function as well as for simplifying the forward simulations.

The extinction of solar radiation by atmospheric aerosols influences the Ultraviolet (UV) flux at the surface, which in turn has implications on both human and environmental health. In this study we present measurements of aerosol optical depth ( and #964;a) in the UV at Boulder, Colorado and Atlanta, Georgia using direct measurements of solar UV radiation. The wavelength dependence of and #964;a and the single scattering albedo ( and #969;o) are determined from the measured values of and #964;a. Daily averages of and #964;a range between 0.09 and 0.52 at Boulder and between 0.23 and 2.09 for Atlanta between the wavelengths of 332 and 340 nm. The average ngstrm exponent ( and #945;) is 0.83 at Boulder and 1.43 in Atlanta. Results clearly show that aerosols have a significant effect on the UV Index. Day-to-day changes in the UV index during the one month measurement period in Atlanta range between 2-3 UV Index units at solar noon. It is estimated that when changes in and #964;a and and #969;o occur simultaneously, the UV Index can change up to 6 units from one day to the next at solar noon in the Atlanta area. The single scattering albedo ( and #969;o) was estimated to range between 0.8 and 0.99 for Atlanta. The results suggest an increasing trend in and #969;o with increases in and #964;a. In addition, a new synthetic current UV Index is developed which expands to nearly 10,000 cities the number of current UV Index reports that can be distributed to the public in the United States. Right now, current UV Index values are limited to specific UV measuring sites, constrained by the difficulties of maintaining accurate calibration within the network of UV instruments. The distribution of UV Index values to more cities will increase the publics awareness of the harmful effects of the sun. This new UV Index can be accessed through The Weather Channel website.

Thesis (M.S. in Electrical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): Herschel H. Loomis Jr., Alan A. Ross. Includes bibliographical references (p. 259). Also available online.

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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-175).

Thesis (M.S.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 1991. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-97).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-88).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-114).