Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System: From Design to Data.

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project has instruments aboard the Terra and Aqua spacecraft that have provided a decade of radiation budget data. In October 2011, the CERES flight model 5 was placed in orbit on the NPOESS Preparatory Project spacecraft. Data from these instruments are being used to investigate the radiation balance of the Earth at various time and space scales and the role of clouds in this balance. The design and calibration, both on the ground and in-orbit, and operation of the instrument are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]