Dr. Shaima L. Nasiri

Research Interests

My research is focused on various aspects of cloud and aerosol remote sensing. While we know that clouds strongly affect the earth-atmosphere energy budget, they are still a major source of uncertainty in our understanding of the climate system. I use measurements made by satellite and aircraft instruments to better understand how clouds and aerosol interact with radiation and affect climate.

Specific research topics

• Retrieval of cloud thermodynamic phase from satellite data (ice, water, mixed phase).
• Investigations of cloud properties using high spectral resolution infrared radiances.
• Global and regional investigations of midlevel clouds.
• Retrieval of cloud and aerosol properties using combined active and passive remote sensing.
• Relating clouds in the real world to those in radiative transfer models and satellite products.

Selected Publications

* Indicates work done by a student while at Texas A&M University

Submitted and In Press

• B. H. Kahn, F. W. Irion, V. T. Dang, E. M. Manning, S. L. Nasiri, C. M. Naud, J. M. Blaisdell, M. M. Schreier, Q. Yue, K. W. Bowman, E. J. Fetzer, G. C. Hulley, K. N. Liou, D. Lubin, S. C. Ou, J. Susskind, Y. Takano, B. Tian, and J. R. Worden, 2013: The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder Version 6 cloud products.  Submitted to Atmos. Chem. Phys. on 4 Apr. 2013.
•  *Jin, Hongchun, and S. L. Nasiri, 2013: Evaluation of AIRS cloud thermodynamic phase determination with CALIOP.  Submitted to J. Appl. Meteor. and Climatol. on 4 Apr. 2013. 
• Li, R. R., P. Yang, and S. L. Nasiri, 2013: Global-scale detection of MODIS dust pixels using CALIPSO assignment.  Submitted to J. Appl. Rem. Sens. on 1 May 2013.

Published

• *Wang, C, P. Yang, S. L. Nasiri, S. Platnick, B. A. Baum, A. K. Heidinger, and X. Liu, 2013: A fast radiative transfer model for visible through shortwave infrared spectral reflectances in clear and cloudy atmospheres. J. Quant. Spectros. Rad. Trans., 116, p. 122-131.  Link
• *Cho, H.-M., S. L. Nasiri, P. Yang, I. Laszlo, X. Zhao, 2013: Detection of optically thin mineral dust aerosol layers over the ocean using MODIS. J. Atmos. Ocean Tech., 30, p. 896-916.  Link
• Nasiri, S. L., H. V. T. Dang, B. H. Kahn, E. J. Fetzer, E. M. Manning, M. M. Schreier, and R. A. Frey, 2011: Comparing MODIS and AIRS infrared-based cloud retrievals. J. Appl. Meteorol. Clim., 50, p. 1057-1072.  Link
• Kahn, B. H, S. L. Nasiri, M. M. Schreier, and B. A. Baum, 2011:  Impacts of sub-pixel cloud heterogeneity on infrared thermodynamic phase assessment.  J. Geophys. Res., 116, D20201, doi:10.1029/2011JD015774.  Link
• *Cho H.-M.,  S. L. Nasiri, and P. Yang, 2009: Application of CALIOP measurements to the evaluation of cloud phase derived from MODIS infrared channels. J. Appl. Meteorol. Clim., 48, p. 2169-2180.  Link
• Nasiri, S. L. and B. H. Kahn, 2008: Limitations of bi-spectral infrared cloud phase determination and potential for improvement. J. Appl. Meteorol. Clim., 47(11), p. 2895-2910.  Link
• *Cho, H-M, P. Yang, G. W. Kattawar, S. L. Nasiri, Y. Hu, P. Minnis, C. Trepte, and D. Winker, 2008: Depolarization ratio and attenuated backscatter for nine cloud types: analyses based on collocated CALIPSO lidar and MODIS measurements. Optics Express, 16(6), p. 3931-3948.
• Baum, B. A., P. Yang, S. Nasiri, A. K. Heidinger, A. J. Heymsfield, and J. Li, 2007: Bulk scattering properties for the remote sensing of ice clouds. Part 3: High resolution spectral models from 100 to 3250 cm^-1. J. Appl. Meteor. Clim., 46, p. 423-434.  Link
• Kahn, B. H., E. Fishbein, S. L. Nasiri, A. Eldering, E. J. Fetzer, M. J. Garay, S.-Y. Lee, 2007: A radiative consistency check of AIRS and MODIS cloud retrievals. J. Geophys. Res., 112, D09201, doi:10.1029/2006D007486.  Link
• Nasiri, S. L. and B. A. Baum, 2004: Daytime multilayered cloud detection using multispectral imager data. J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., 21(8), pp. 1145-1155.   Link

Courses

Links are to most recently taught sections.

• ATMO 201 - Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences
• ATMO 446 - Physical Meteorology:  Fall 2011, Fall 2010, Fall 2009
• ATMO 612 - Atmospheric Physics II:  Spring 2012, Spring 2013
• ATMO 441 - Satellite Meteorology and Remote Sensing: Spring 2013

Links

C.V. (Includes Full Publication List). 

ResearcherID: C-8044-2011 

Research Group