Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net 1680-7367 1680-7375 6 2 2006 10.5194/acpd-6-2175-2006 http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/6/2175/2006/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/6/2175/2006/acpd-6-2175-2006.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/6/2175/2006/acpd-6-2175-2006.pdf 2175 2188 2006-03-31 Retrieval of cloud spherical albedo from top-of-atmosphere reflectance measurements performed at a single observation angle A. Kokhanovsky B. Mayer W. von Hoyningen-Huene Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Bremen, Otto Hahn Allee 1, 28334 Bremen, Germany Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Wessling, Germany The paper is devoted to the derivation of the simple analytical relationship between the cloud spherical albedo and the cloud reflection function. The relationship obtained can be used for the derivation of the spherical albedo from backscattered solar light measurements performed by radiometers on geostationary and polar orbiting satellites. The example of the application of the technique to MODIS data is shown.