EFP simulated satellite evaluation

Part of this year's EFP portion of the Spring Experiment is to examine simulated satellite imagery from the CAPS ensemble.  The goal of this project is to determine how differences in the microphysics schemes in the different model runs produce different cloud objects and features in the simulated imagery.  While this is not directly related to GOES-R, it is exposing the modeling community to satellite techniques and radiative transfer.  The group asked me to help them explain why different clouds seemed "cooler" in the simulated imagery and how features of clouds (such as ice particle concentration, height and optical depth) would affect what an actual satellite would "see".  I was able to alleviate some confusion amongst the participants regarding whether the standard IR window was seeing a layer or more of a surface when it came to different cloud features, such as an optically thick storm updraft core versus a relatively optically thin cirrus cloud associated with an anvil.  It is good to see some of the non-satellite community actively trying to better understand how satellite observations are made.