ABSTRACT: According to the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the basic parameter for describing (geometrically) the reflecting properties of a surface element is known as bidirectional reflectance-distribution function (BRDF).  BRDF observations are now becoming increasingly important especially when dealing with higher spatial resolution satellite products collected over heterogeneous landscapes. In this talk, I will use observations from National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR) to show BRDF patterns that encompass various natural surfaces that are representative of many land cover or ecosystem types found throughout the world. I will give several examples of BRDF applications, including testing the ability of existing models to reproduce observed directional signatures and the serendipitous discovery of how air bubbles trapped inside ship wakes enhance ocean brightness and the importance of this increase to climate forcing.