Convective clouds in the tropics can be grouped into three categories: shallow clouds with cloud-top heights near 2 km above the surface, mid-level congestus clouds with tops near the 0°C level, and deep convective clouds capped by the tropopause. This trimodal distribution is visible in cloud data from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), carried aboard the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), as well as in precipitation data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR). Fractional areal coverage (FAC) data is calculated at each of the three levels to describe how often optically thick clouds or precipitation are seen at each level. By dividing the FAC of TRMM PR-observed precipitation by the FAC of thick GLAS/ICESat-observed clouds, the fraction of clouds that are precipitating is derived. The tropical mean precipitating cloud fraction is low: 3.7% for shallow clouds, 6.5% for mid-level clouds, and 24.1% for deep clouds. On a regional basis, the FAC maps created in this study show interesting trends. The presence of nonphysical answers in the PCF graphs, however, suggest that greater study with more precise instruments is needed to properly understand the true precipitating cloud fraction of the tropical atmosphere.

Thesis (M. S. - Hydrology and Water Resources)--University of Arizona, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-115).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1983. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-42).

No description available.

Graduation date: 1997

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin, 1967. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-42).

Thesis (M.S. in Meteorology)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 1990. / Thesis Advisor(s): Wash, Carlyle H. Second Reader: Durkee, Philip A. "June 1990." Description based on title screen as viewed on October 15, 2009. DTIC Identifier(s): Cirrus Clouds, Satellite Meteorology, Theses, Split Window Techniques. Author(s) subject terms: Meteorology, Satellite Remote Sensing, Cirrus, Split-Window Technique. Includes bibliographical references (p. 47-48). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-115).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.