A novel approach, using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite microwave communication links\nfor cloud liquid water measurements, is proposed in this paper. The feasibility of this approach\nis studied through simulations of the retrieval system including a LEO satellite communicating\nwith a group of ground receivers equipped with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimators, a synthetic\ncloud attenuation field and a tomographic retrieval algorithm. Rectangular and Gaussian basis\nfunctions are considered to define the targeted field. Simulation results suggest that the proposed\nleast-squares based retrieval algorithm produces satisfactory outcomes for both types of basis\nfunctions. The root-mean-square error of the retrieved field is around 0.2 dB/km, with the range of\nthe reference field as 0 to 2.35 dB/km. It is also confirmed that the partial retrieval of the cloud field is\nachievable when a limited number of receivers with restricted locations are available. The retrieval\noutcomes exhibit properties of high resolution and low error, indicating that the proposed approach\nhas great potential for cloud observations.
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