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The Earth planetary albedo surge in December 2020 validated using a weather prediction model
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  • Maksym Vasiuta,
  • Lauri Tuppi,
  • Antti Penttilä,
  • Karri Muinonen,
  • Heikki Järvinen
Maksym Vasiuta
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Lauri Tuppi
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki
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Antti Penttilä
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki
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Karri Muinonen
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki
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Heikki Järvinen
Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki
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Abstract

The focus here is on the Earth’s planetary albedo estimates derived from the data of Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) onboard NOAA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR). The estimates indicate a short-lived albedo surge with an instantaneous value of $0.350$ on the 5th of December 2020 and a 5-day average above $0.330$. A numerical weather prediction model-based (OpenIFS of ECMWF) estimate confirms the EPIC-based maximum in December 2020 but remains notably lower (maximum at $0.327$). The discrepancy may be explained by the Earth–Satellite–Sun geometry since the DSCOVR satellite was very near the Lagrange point L1 and received the Earth outgoing short-wave radiation close to backscattering. In this conditions, the angular distribution model based on Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) and the associated footprint identification are prone to uncertainties.
12 Sep 2023Submitted to ESS Open Archive
13 Sep 2023Published in ESS Open Archive