Bendix, J. (2002): <b>A satellite-based climatology of fog and low-level stratus in Germany and adjacent areas</b>. <i>Athmospheric Research</i> <b>64</b>, 3-18.
Resource Description
Title:
A satellite-based climatology of fog and low-level stratus in Germany and adjacent areas
FOR816dw ID:
170
Publication Date:
2002-04-03
License and Usage Rights:
PAK 823-825 data user agreement. (www.lcrs.de/dataagreementp3.do)
Resource Owner(s):
Individual:
Jörg Bendix
Contact:
email:
bendix <at> staff.uni-marburg.de
Deutschhausstraße 12
Room No. 02 A 48
35032 Marburg
Faculty of Geography
Germany
Abstract:
A 10-year fog climatology of Germany and adjacent areas, based on NOAA-Advanced Very<br/>
High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data, is presented. Maximum fog frequency is obtained for<br/>
the Lake Constance area; minimum fog occurrence, accounting for basins and river valleys, is<br/>
located in the Lower Rhine area. This is a transition zone between coastal advection fog and the more<br/>
continental radiation fog of the lower mountain range. Fog persistence is estimated by a comparison<br/>
of night and day maps. Using the bispectral approach of Nakajima and Nakajima [J. Atmos. Sci. 52,<br/>
(1995) 4043], the potential of weather satellite data for climatologies of fog’s optical and<br/>
microphysical properties is examined. Maps of fog optical depth, effective radius and liquid water<br/>
path (LWP) are computed from well-illuminated noon images and the resulting data set is statistically<br/>
evaluated. Typical features of advection fog are obtained for the coastal areas of the North and Baltic<br/>
Seas, while the fog of the pre-Alpine basins reveals characteristics of continental radiation fog. The<br/>
results are in general accordance with field observations of various sources.
