Reuniwatt will participate in the ACTRIS Science Conference 2026 and present new work on the link between satellite-based cloud classification and ground-based cloud optical measurements during the poster session on April 22. The contribution, titled Comparing NWC SAF Cloud Type classifications with ground-based Cloud Optical Depth retrievals from a thermal infrared sky imager, examines how well the NWC SAF Cloud Type product can represent local cloud optical properties when compared with high-resolution measurements from Reuniwatt’s thermal infrared all-sky imager Sky InSight™. Building on Reuniwatt’s previous ACTRIS participation, this new presentation continues the company’s work on improving cloud observation across scales for atmospheric and environmental research applications.
The importance of combining satellite and ground-based observations
Clouds remain a major source of uncertainty in atmospheric and environmental applications, including radiative transfer, climate monitoring, and ground-based remote sensing. In our latest study, Reuniwatt combined NWC SAF Cloud Type data from GOES-16 with in-situ observations from Sky InSight™ deployed at NOAA’s Table Mountain Test Facility in Colorado. By correlating cloud type classes with ground-retrieved high-resolution Cloud Optical Depth estimates, the study derives statistical distributions for each cloud type category. The results underline the
importance of combining satellite and ground-based observations to improve the characterization of cloud optical properties across scales.
Continuing our work on advanced sky observation
Continuous day-and-night cloud monitoring is one of the key strengths of infrared all-sky imagers, especially when their measurements are integrated with other observational techniques to achieve a more complete atmospheric assessment. Our earlier ACTRIS work emphasized that Sky InSight™ supports 24/7 cloud monitoring and retrieval of parameters such as cloud cover, cloud fraction and cloud optical depth, while also helping to compare different measurement approaches under real atmospheric conditions. Our latest study is focusing more directly on the synergy between satellite products and high-resolution ground instrumentation, with the objective of strengthening cloud optical characterization and long-term atmospheric monitoring.
Interested in Sky InSight™ for research applications?