Deterministic Cloud-Free Line-Of-Sight (D-CFLOS)

A Cloud-Free Line-Of-Sight (CFLOS) is an unobstructed line between two points in the sky, free from clouds or other visual barriers. In aviation, it is essential for safe navigation, enabling pilots to detect other aircraft and recognize landmarks. CFLOS can be challenging to determine without knowing the 3D structure of clouds in the environment. By leveraging the OVERCAST 3D cloud data product, Deterministic Cloud-Free Line-Of-Sight (D-CFLOS) can be estimated in near real-time over a large portion of the globe using an optimized ray-tracing technique in 3D space.

Additionally, D-CFLOS enables the creation of virtual, portable, 3D all-sky imagers (a concept to be referred to as "sky dome").

Goals:

• To provide various modules for operational and research applications, including visibility estimation, areal D-CFLOS mapping, ground-based cloud fraction estimation and validation, and climatological probability of CFLOS.
• To improve safety and efficiency in aviation and other fields by offering precise and real-time D-CFLOS estimation.

Figure: Showing examples of the D-CFLOS estimations.