Satellite measurements of radiation

It was recently estimated that over 80% of the Earth’s radiation imbalance manifests in warming of the subsurface ocean (Levitus et al., 2005). Therefore, estimates of ocean heat uptake based on Argo observations provide a powerful constraint for efforts to close the Earth’s radiation balance. Similar to the gravity measurements described above, the combination of Argo and satellite estimates of top-of-atmosphere radiation provides a means to cross-validate two independent measurements and better understand the capabilities of the current observing system (e.g. Wong et al., 2005). Closing Earth’s radiation balance is a priority for climate research and Argo observations will play a key role in realising this goal.