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Abstract

We describe the JAXA algorithms and products from the Earth Clouds Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE). EarthCARE is a joint mission by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) to understand clouds, aerosols and radiation. It will carry Doppler cloud profiling radar (CPR), atmospheric high spectral resolution lidar (ATLID), multi-le spectral imager (MSI) and broad band radiometer (BBR) JAXA EarthCARE algorithms have been extended from the algorithms for CloudSat, CALIPSO and MODIS to produce Kyushu (KU) products and JAXA EarthCARE A-train products. Doppler capability of CPR is expected to provide terminal velocity of cloud/precipitation particles and vertical air motion inside clouds. High spectral resolution lidar ATLID provides true backscattering coefficient, extinction coefficient and depolarization ratio. Theoretical studies have indicated that the two-dimensional diagram of lidar ratio and depolarization ratio is essential not only for aerosol components but for retrieving cloud particle shapes and orientations (Okamoto et al., 2019, 2020). Recently developed physical model (Sato et al., 2018) and vectorized physical model (Sato et al., 2019) can be used to take lidar multiple scattering into account for the interpretation of active sensor signals of optically thick clouds. Synergy of new observations with the theoretical improvements enables better estimation of radiative characteristics of cloud/precipitation/aerosol particles. Synergetic ground-based observation systems have been developed to evaluate the EarthCARE algorithms. It consists of Multi-Field-of-view Multiple Scattering Polarization Lidar, high spectral resolution lidar, direct and coherent Doppler lidars and high-sensitivity-cloud radar.