to convert the brightness values ??to units of CAPE

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glez_b
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to convert the brightness values ??to units of CAPE

Post by glez_b »

I have a case where an image has been deployed using data from bright (0-255) and I selected a shade to tell me the regions of CAPE (Convective Avainable Potential Energy) like in attached. My question is: how I can adjust these brightness values ??to actual values ??of CAPE.

If there is any formula, can guide me to convert the brightness values ??to units of CAPE?
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tomw
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Re: to convert the brightness values ??to units of CAPE

Post by tomw »

It depends on how the "brightness image" was produced. If it came from an "image" that represented CAPE to begin with, then you could possibly do an inverse computation. (For example, go to this page:
<http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/rt/>
and click on the CAPE on the left side panel.)

However, if this is just a "brightness" image of some band (channel) from the satellite, then you cannot compute CAPE from that alone, since the CAPE computation involves an integration of the difference between the air temperature and a lifted parcel's temperature from the LFC to the Equilibrium Level...

Let me add, however, that using the Jython Formula interface, you can do many computations on your data that are not provided directly in McIDAS-V. This would include re-scaling your "brightness" data into something else -- as long as you know the conversion formula(s).
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