New Spectral Radiation Diagnostics for Model Evaluation

Spectrally-resolved observations of radiation (such as those made by NASA’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument) provide invaluable information about the Earth’s climate and energy budget. Specifically, 20+ years of continuous satellite observations allow the identification of forced climate change, and spectral radiation fields can isolate specific climate processes and feedbacks. Furthermore, direct observations of spectral radiation have well-quantified uncertainties that other observational products often lack. Yet, spectral observations are rarely used in comparisons with climate models. One central reason for this omission is that climate models do not produce spectral output that is directly comparable with satellite observations. Without such model output, it is challenging to compare modeled and observed spectral radiation. Here, we present a simple, computationally-efficient tool for simulating spectral radiation within global climate models. Applications of this new simulator output include model evaluation, climate change detection, and satellite mission design.