Enhancement of Near-real-time Cloud Analysis and Related Analytic Support for Whole Sky Imagers

Book excerpt: This report describes the work done for the Starfire Optical Range, Kirtland Air Force Base under Contract N00014-01-D-043 DO #4, between 25 May 01 and 31 September 06. This work relates to the Air Force s need to characterize the cloud distribution during day and night, for a variety of applications, including support of satellite tracking, and support of research into impact of clouds on laser communication. This contract followed Contract N00014-97-D-0350 DO #6, which will be discussed in Section 2, and is documented in Shields et al 2004b, Technical Note 265. The primary goals of Delivery Order #4 discussed in this current report included further development of day and night cloud algorithms and support of the fielded Whole Sky Imager instruments. Much of the work done under DO #4 was completed by the end of 2004. Some additional work was done in 2005 and 2006 under the DO #4 funding, but most of the SOR work during this interval was done under a follow-on contract, ONR N00014-01-D- 0043 DO #11, funded September 04. The work under DO #11 will be reported under a separate report