VARNAI, TAMAS

Tamas Varnai

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
http://climate.gsfc.nasa.gov/~varnai

Refereed Publications

Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2001: Statistical analysis of the uncertainties in cloud optical depth retrievals caused by three-dimensional radiative effects. J. Atmos. Sci., 58, 1540-1548.

Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2002: Observations of three-dimensional radiative effects that influence MODIS cloud optical thickness retrievals. J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 1607-1618.

Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2002: Observations of three-dimensional radiative effects that influence satellite retrievals of cloud properties. Quart. Jour. of Hungarian Meteor. Service (Idojaras), 106, 265-278.

Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2003: A method for analyzing how various parts of clouds influence each other's brightness. J. Geophys. Res., 108 (D22), 4706, doi: 10.1029/2003JD003561.

Cahalan, R. F., M. McGill, J. Kolasinski, T. Varnai, and K. Yetzer, 2005: THOR — Cloud Thickness from Offbeam Lidar Returns. J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 22, No. 6, 605-627.

Cahalan, R. F., L. Oreopoulos, A. Marshak, K. F. Evans, A. Davis, R. Pincus, K. Yetzer, B. Mayer, R. Davies, T. Ackerman, H. Barker, E. Clothiaux, R. Ellingson, M. Garay, E. Kassianov, S. Kinne, A. Macke, W. OHirok, P. Partain, S. Prigarin, A. Rublev, G. Stephens, F. Szczap, E. Takara, T. Varnai, G. Wen, and T. Zhuravleva, 2005: The International Intercomparison of 3D Radiation Codes (I3RC): Bringing together the most advanced radiative transfer tools for cloudy atmospheres. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 86 (9), 1275-1293.

Marshak, A., S. Platnick, T. Varnai, G. Wen, and R. F. Cahalan, 2006: Impact of 3D radiative effects on satellite retrievals of cloud droplet sizes. J. Geophys. Res., 111, DO9207, doi:10.1029/2005JD006686.

Oreopoulos, L., A. Marshak, R. F. Cahalan, T. Varnai, A. B. Davis, and A. Macke, 2006: New Directions in the Radiative Transfer of Cloudy Atmospheres. EOS, 87, No. 5, 31 January 2006.

Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2007: View angle dependence of cloud optical thickness retrieved by MODIS. J. Geophys. Res., 112, D06203, doi:10.1029/2005JD006912.

10.

Varnai, T., and R. F. Cahalan, 2007: Potential for airborne offbeam lidar measurements of snow and sea ice thickness. J. Geophys. Res., 112, C12S90, doi:10.1029/2007JC004091.

11.

Evans, K. F., A. Marshak, and T. Varnai, 2008: The potential for improved cloud optical depth retrievals from the multiple directions of MISR. J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 3179-3196.

12.

Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2009: MODIS observations of enhanced clear sky reflectance near clouds. Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L06807, doi:10.1029/2008GL037089.

13.

Yang, Y., A. Marshak, T. Varnai, W. J. Wiscombe, and P. Yang, 2009: Uncertainties in ice sheet altimetry from a space-borne 1064 nm single channel lidar due to undetected thin clouds. IEEE Trans. Geos. Remote Sens. (In press)

RESEARCH AREA EXPERIENCE

Theory of three-dimensional radiative processes that occur in clouds. This work includes participation in the I3RC project., Use of satellite observations for estimating properties of heterogeneous clouds, including water content and size of cloud droplets. This work involves the analysis of MODIS, MISR and ASTER observations of sunlight reflected from clouds and thermal radiation emitted by clouds., Measurement of geometrical thickness and internal structure of clouds, snow, and sea ice, using the airborne lidar instrument called THOR. This work involves the development of data processing algorithms and the analysis of THOR observations.

EDUCATION

1996		Ph.D., Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

1989		M.Sc. equivalent degree, Meteorology, Eotvos Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary

Show Refereed Publications

1.		Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2001: Statistical analysis of the uncertainties in cloud optical depth retrievals caused by three-dimensional radiative effects. J. Atmos. Sci., 58, 1540-1548.
2.		Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2002: Observations of three-dimensional radiative effects that influence MODIS cloud optical thickness retrievals. J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 1607-1618.
3.		Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2002: Observations of three-dimensional radiative effects that influence satellite retrievals of cloud properties. Quart. Jour. of Hungarian Meteor. Service (Idojaras), 106, 265-278.
4.		Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2003: A method for analyzing how various parts of clouds influence each other's brightness. J. Geophys. Res., 108 (D22), 4706, doi: 10.1029/2003JD003561.
5.		Cahalan, R. F., M. McGill, J. Kolasinski, T. Varnai, and K. Yetzer, 2005: THOR — Cloud Thickness from Offbeam Lidar Returns. J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 22, No. 6, 605-627.
6.		Cahalan, R. F., L. Oreopoulos, A. Marshak, K. F. Evans, A. Davis, R. Pincus, K. Yetzer, B. Mayer, R. Davies, T. Ackerman, H. Barker, E. Clothiaux, R. Ellingson, M. Garay, E. Kassianov, S. Kinne, A. Macke, W. OHirok, P. Partain, S. Prigarin, A. Rublev, G. Stephens, F. Szczap, E. Takara, T. Varnai, G. Wen, and T. Zhuravleva, 2005: The International Intercomparison of 3D Radiation Codes (I3RC): Bringing together the most advanced radiative transfer tools for cloudy atmospheres. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 86 (9), 1275-1293.
7.		Marshak, A., S. Platnick, T. Varnai, G. Wen, and R. F. Cahalan, 2006: Impact of 3D radiative effects on satellite retrievals of cloud droplet sizes. J. Geophys. Res., 111, DO9207, doi:10.1029/2005JD006686.
8.		Oreopoulos, L., A. Marshak, R. F. Cahalan, T. Varnai, A. B. Davis, and A. Macke, 2006: New Directions in the Radiative Transfer of Cloudy Atmospheres. EOS, 87, No. 5, 31 January 2006.
9.		Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2007: View angle dependence of cloud optical thickness retrieved by MODIS. J. Geophys. Res., 112, D06203, doi:10.1029/2005JD006912.
10.		Varnai, T., and R. F. Cahalan, 2007: Potential for airborne offbeam lidar measurements of snow and sea ice thickness. J. Geophys. Res., 112, C12S90, doi:10.1029/2007JC004091.
11.		Evans, K. F., A. Marshak, and T. Varnai, 2008: The potential for improved cloud optical depth retrievals from the multiple directions of MISR. J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 3179-3196.
12.		Varnai, T., and A. Marshak, 2009: MODIS observations of enhanced clear sky reflectance near clouds. Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L06807, doi:10.1029/2008GL037089.
13.		Yang, Y., A. Marshak, T. Varnai, W. J. Wiscombe, and P. Yang, 2009: Uncertainties in ice sheet altimetry from a space-borne 1064 nm single channel lidar due to undetected thin clouds. IEEE Trans. Geos. Remote Sens. (In press)

Hide Refereed Publications