scholarly journals Testing aerosol properties in MODIS Collection 4 and 5 using airborne sunphotometer observations in INTEX-B/MILAGRO

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (21) ◽  
pp. 8159-8172 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Redemann ◽  
Q. Zhang ◽  
J. Livingston ◽  
P. Russell ◽  
Y. Shinozuka ◽  
...  

Abstract. The 14-channel Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS) was operated on a Jetstream 31 (J31) aircraft in March 2006 during MILAGRO/INTEX-B (Megacity Initiative-Local And Global Research Observations/Phase B of the Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment). We compare AATS retrievals of spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) and related aerosol properties with corresponding spatially coincident and temporally near-coincident measurements acquired by the MODIS-Aqua and MODIS-Terra satellite sensors. These comparisons are carried out for the older MODIS Collection 4 (C4) and the new Collection 5 (C5) data set, the latter representing a reprocessing of the entire MODIS data set completed during 2006 with updated calibration and aerosol retrieval algorithm. Our analysis yields a direct, validated assessment of the differences between select MODIS C4 and C5 aerosol retrievals. Our analyses of 37 coincident observations by AATS and MODIS-Terra and 18 coincident observations between AATS and MODIS-Aqua indicate notable differences between MODIS C4 and C5 and between the two sensors. For MODIS-Terra, we find an average increase in AOD of 0.02 at 553 nm and 0.01 or less at the shortwave infrared (SWIR) wavelengths. The change from C4 to C5 results in less good agreement with the AATS derived spectral AOD, with average differences at 553 nm increasing from 0.03 to 0.05. For MODIS-Aqua, we find an average increase in AOD of 0.008 at 553 nm, but an increase of nearly 0.02 at the SWIR wavelengths. The change from C4 to C5 results in slightly less good agreement to the AATS derived visible AOD, with average differences at 553 nm increasing from 0.03 to 0.04. However, at SWIR wavelengths, the changes from C4 to C5 result in improved agreement between MODIS-Aqua and AATS, with the average differences at 2119 nm decreasing from −0.02 to −0.003. Comparing the Angstrom exponents calculated from AOD at 553nm and 855nm, we find an increased rms difference from AATS derived Angstrom exponents in going from C4 to C5 for MODIS-Terra, and a decrease in rms difference, hence an improvement, for the transition from C4 to C5 in MODIS-Aqua. Combining the AATS retrievals with in situ measurements of size-dependent aerosol extinction, we derive a suborbital measure of the aerosol submicron fraction (SMF) of AOD and compare it to MODIS retrievals of aerosol fine mode fraction (FMF). Our analysis shows a significant rms-difference between the MODIS-Terra FMF and suborbitally-derived SMF of 0.17 for both C4 and C5. For MODIS-Aqua, there is a slight improvement in the transition from C4 to C5, with the rms-difference from AATS dropping from 0.23 to 0.16. The differences in MODIS C4 and C5 AOD in this limited data set can be traced to changes in the reflectances input to the aerosol retrievals. An extension of the C4-C5 comparisons from the area along the J31 flight track to a larger study region between 18–23° N and 93–100° W on each of the J31 flight days supports the finding of significant differences between MODIS C4 and C5.

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 11753-11781 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Redemann ◽  
Q. Zhang ◽  
J. Livingston ◽  
P. Russell ◽  
Y. Shinozuka ◽  
...  

Abstract. The 14-channel Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS) was operated on a Jetstream 31 (J31) aircraft in March 2006 during MILAGRO/INTEX-B (Megacity Initiative-Local And Global Research Observations/Phase B of the Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment). We compare AATS retrievals of spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) and related aerosol properties with corresponding spatially coincident and temporally near-coincident measurements acquired by the MODIS-Aqua and MODIS-Terra satellite sensors. These comparisons are carried out for the older MODIS Collection 4 (C4) and the new Collection 5 (C5) data set, the latter representing a reprocessing of the entire MODIS data set completed during 2006 with updated calibration and aerosol retrieval algorithm. Our analysis yields a direct, validated assessment of the differences between select MODIS C4 and C5 aerosol retrievals. Our analyses of 37 coincident observations by AATS and MODIS-Terra and 18 coincident observations between AATS and MODIS-Aqua indicate notable differences between MODIS C4 and C5 and between the two sensors. For MODIS-Terra, we find an average increase in AOD of 0.02 at 553 nm and 0.01 or less at the shortwave infrared (SWIR) wavelengths. The change from C4 to C5 results in less good agreement with the AATS derived spectral AOD, with average differences at 553 nm increasing from 0.03 to 0.05. For MODIS-Aqua, we find an average increase in AOD of 0.008 at 553 nm, but an increase of nearly 0.02 at the SWIR wavelengths. The change from C4 to C5 results in slightly less good agreement to the AATS derived visible AOD, with average differences at 553 nm increasing from 0.03 to 0.04. However, at SWIR wavelengths, the changes from C4 to C5 result in improved agreement between MODIS-Aqua and AATS, with the average differences at 2119 nm decreasing from -0.02 to -0.003. Comparing the Angstrom exponents calculated from AOD at 553 nm and 855 nm, we find an increased rms difference from AATS derived Angstrom exponents in going from C4 to C5 for MODIS-Terra, and a decrease in rms difference, hence an improvement, for the transition from C4 to C5 in MODIS-Aqua. Combining the AATS retrievals with in situ measurements of size-dependent aerosol extinction, we derive a suborbital measure of the aerosol submicron fraction (SMF) of AOD and compare it to MODIS retrievals of aerosol fine mode fraction (FMF). Our analysis shows a significant rms-difference between the MODIS-Terra FMF and suborbitally-derived SMF of 0.17 for both C4 and C5. For MODIS-Aqua, there is a slight improvement in the transition from C4 to C5, with the rms-difference from AATS dropping from 0.23 to 0.16. The differences in MODIS C4 and C5 AOD in this limited data set can be traced to changes in the reflectances input to the aerosol retrievals. An extension of the C4-C5 comparisons from the area along the J31 flight track to a larger study region between 18–23° N and 93–100° W on each of the J31 flight days supports the finding of significant differences between MODIS C4 and C5.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 2625-2638 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Wu ◽  
O. Hasekamp ◽  
B. van Diedenhoven ◽  
B. Cairns

Abstract. We investigated the importance of spectral range and angular resolution for aerosol retrieval from multiangle photopolarimetric measurements over land. For this purpose, we use an extensive set of simulated measurements for different spectral ranges and angular resolutions and subsets of real measurements of the airborne Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP) carried out during the PODEX and SEAC4RS campaigns over the continental USA. Aerosol retrievals performed from RSP measurements show good agreement with ground-based AERONET measurements for aerosol optical depth (AOD), single scattering albedo (SSA) and refractive index. Furthermore, we found that inclusion of shortwave infrared bands (1590 and/or 2250 nm) significantly improves the retrieval of AOD, SSA and coarse mode microphysical properties. However, accuracies of the retrieved aerosol properties do not improve significantly when more than five viewing angles are used in the retrieval.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 2793-2822
Author(s):  
L. Wu ◽  
O. Hasekamp ◽  
B. van Diedenhoven ◽  
B. Cairns

Abstract. We investigated the importance of spectral range and angular resolution for aerosol retrieval from multi-angle photo-polarimetric measurements over land. For this purpose, we use an extensive set of simulated measurements for different spectral ranges and angular resolutions and subsets of real measurements of the airborne Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP) carried out during the PODEX and SEAC4RS campaigns over continental US. Aerosol retrievals performed from RSP measurements show good agreement with ground based AERONET measurements for AOT, SSA, and refractive index. Furthermore, we found that inclusion of shortwave infrared bands (1590 and/or 2250 nm) significantly improves the retrieval of AOT, SSA and coarse mode microphysical properties. On the other hand, retrieval accuracies on aerosol properties do not improve significantly if more than 10 viewing angles are used in the retrieval.


2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 23719-23753
Author(s):  
D. Wurl ◽  
R. G. Grainger ◽  
A. J. McDonald ◽  
T. Deshler

Abstract. A new retrieval algorithm is presented, which is based on the Optimal Estimation (OE) approach and aimed to improve current estimates of aerosol microphysical properties under non-volcanic conditions. The new OE algorithm retrieves log-normal particle size distribution parameters and associated uncertainties from multi-wavelength aerosol extinction data at visible to near infrared wavelengths. The algorithm was tested on synthetic data and then applied to SAGE (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment) II data measured in 1999 in the lower stratosphere between 10 and 35 km. Model validation based on synthetic data shows that the new algorithm is able to retrieve the particle size of typical background aerosols accurately and that the retrieved uncertainties are a good estimate of the true errors. Aerosol properties retrieved from measured SAGE II extinction data (recorded in 1999) using the OE approach were compared to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) results retrieved from the same SAGE II data set. The OE surface area and volume densities are observed to be larger than the PCA values by 20–50% and 10–40% whereas the OE effective radii tend to be smaller by about 10–40%. An examination of the OE algorithm biases with in situ data indicates that the new OE estimates are likely to be more realistic than the PCA results. Based on the results of this study we suggest that the new OE retrieval algorithm provides improved estimates of aerosol properties in the lower stratosphere under low aerosol loading conditions.


2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 3799-3813 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. S. Gloudemans ◽  
A. T. J. de Laat ◽  
H. Schrijver ◽  
I. Aben ◽  
J. F. Meirink ◽  
...  

Abstract. We present a new method to obtain accurate SCIAMACHY CO columns over clouded ocean scenes. Based on an improved version of the Iterative Maximum Likelihood Method (IMLM) retrieval algorithm, we now have retrieved five years of data over both land and clouded ocean scenes between 2003 and 2007. The ocean-cloud method uses the CH4 columns retrieved simultaneously with the CO columns to determine the cloud top height. The CH4 cloud top height is in good agreement with the FRESCO+ cloud top height determined from UV-VIS oxygen-A band measurements, providing confidence that the CH4 cloud top height is a good diagnostic of the cloud top height over (partially) clouded ocean scenes. The CO measurements over clouded ocean scenes have been compared with collocated modeled CO columns over the same clouds and agree well. Using clouded ocean scenes quadruples the number of useful CO measurements compared to land-only measurements. The five-year CO data set over land and clouded ocean scenes presented here is based on an improved version of the IMLM algorithm which includes a more accurate determination of the random instrument-noise error for CO. This leads to a smaller spread in the differences between single CO measurements and the corresponding model values. The new version, IMLM version 7.4, also uses updated spectroscopic parameters for H2O and CH4 but this has only a minor impact on the retrieved CO columns. The five-year data set shows significant interannual variability over land and over clouded ocean scenes. Three examples are highlighted: the Asian outflow of pollution over the northern Pacific, the biomass-burning outflow over the Indian Ocean originating from Indonesia, and biomass burning in Brazil. In general there is good agreement between observed and modeled seasonal cycles and interannual variability.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 2399-2411 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Buchwitz ◽  
I. Khlystova ◽  
H. Bovensmann ◽  
J. P. Burrows

Abstract. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an important atmospheric constituent affecting air quality and climate. SCIAMACHY on ENVISAT is currently the only satellite instrument that can measure the vertical column of CO with nearly equal sensitivity at all altitudes down to the Earth's surface because of its near-infrared nadir observations of reflected solar radiation. Here we present three years' (2003–2005) of SCIAMACHY CO columns consistently retrieved with the latest version of our retrieval algorithm (WFMDv0.6). We describe the retrieval method and discuss the multi-year global CO data set focusing on a comparison with the operational CO column data product of MOPITT. We found reasonable to good agreement (~20%) with MOPITT, with the best agreement for 2004. We present detailed results for various regions (Europe, Middle East, India, China) and discuss to what extent enhanced levels of CO can be detected over populated areas including individual cities. The expected CO signal from cities is close to or even below the detection limit of individual measurements. We show that cities can be identified when averaging long time series.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 2121-2135
Author(s):  
Caroline A. Poulsen ◽  
Gregory R. McGarragh ◽  
Gareth E. Thomas ◽  
Martin Stengel ◽  
Matthew W. Christensen ◽  
...  

Abstract. We present version 3 (V3) of the Cloud_cci Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) and Advanced ATSR (AATSR) data set. The data set was created for the European Space Agency (ESA) Cloud_cci (Climate Change Initiative) programme. The cloud properties were retrieved from the second ATSR (ATSR-2) on board the second European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS-2) spanning 1995–2003 and the AATSR on board Envisat, which spanned 2002–2012. The data are comprised of a comprehensive set of cloud properties: cloud top height, temperature, pressure, spectral albedo, cloud effective emissivity, effective radius, and optical thickness, alongside derived liquid and ice water path. Each retrieval is provided with its associated uncertainty. The cloud property retrievals are accompanied by high-resolution top- and bottom-of-atmosphere shortwave and longwave fluxes that have been derived from the retrieved cloud properties using a radiative transfer model. The fluxes were generated for all-sky and clear-sky conditions. V3 differs from the previous version 2 (V2) through development of the retrieval algorithm and attention to the consistency between the ATSR-2 and AATSR instruments. The cloud properties show improved accuracy in validation and better consistency between the two instruments, as demonstrated by a comparison of cloud mask and cloud height with co-located CALIPSO data. The cloud masking has improved significantly, particularly in its ability to detect clear pixels. The Kuiper Skill score has increased from 0.49 to 0.66. The cloud top height accuracy is relatively unchanged. The AATSR liquid water path was compared with the Multisensor Advanced Climatology of Liquid Water Path (MAC-LWP) in regions of stratocumulus cloud and shown to have very good agreement and improved consistency between ATSR-2 and AATSR instruments. The correlation with MAC-LWP increased from 0.4 to over 0.8 for these cloud regions. The flux products are compared with NASA Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data, showing good agreement within the uncertainty. The new data set is well suited to a wide range of climate applications, such as comparison with climate models, investigation of trends in cloud properties, understanding aerosol–cloud interactions, and providing contextual information for co-located ATSR-2/AATSR surface temperature and aerosol products. The following new digital identifier has been issued for the Cloud_cci ATSR-2/AATSRv3 data set: https://doi.org/10.5676/DWD/ESA_Cloud_cci/ATSR2-AATSR/V003 (Poulsen et al., 2019).


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Arosio ◽  
Alexei Rozanov ◽  
Elizaveta Malinina ◽  
Kai-Uwe Eichmann ◽  
Thomas von Clarmann ◽  
...  

Abstract. This study describes a retrieval algorithm developed at the University of Bremen to retrieve vertical profiles of ozone from limb observations performed by the Ozone Mapper and Profiler Suite (OMPS). This algorithm was originally developed for use with data from the SCIAMACHY instrument. As both instruments make limb measurements of the scattered solar radiation in the ultraviolet and visible spectral range, an overarching objective of the study is to facilitate the provision of consolidated and consistent ozone profiles from the two satellites and to produce a combined data set. The optimization of the retrieval algorithm for OMPS takes into account the instrument-specific spectral coverage by exploiting information from spectral windows in the Hartley, Huggins and Chappuis ozone absorption bands. Thereby, ozone concentrations in the 12–60 km altitude range can be retrieved. Observations at altitudes where the measurements are contaminated by clouds are rejected by applying a cloud filter. An independent aerosol retrieval is performed beforehand and its results are used to account for the aerosol load in the stratosphere during the ozone retrieval. Results for seven months of data (July 2016–January 2017) are compared and validated against independent data sets from both satellite-based and balloon-borne measurements, indicating a good agreement. Between 20 and 50 km, the OMPS ozone profiles typically agree with the MLS v4.2 results within 5–10 %, with the exception of high northern latitudes (> 70° N above 40 km) and the tropical lower stratosphere. The comparison of OMPS profiles with those from ozonesondes shows an agreement within ±5 % between 14 and 30 km at northern mid-latitudes. At southern mid-latitudes, an agreement within 5–10 % is achieved, although these results are less reliable because of a limited number of available coincidences. An unexpected bias of approximately 10 % is detected in the tropical region at all altitudes. The processing of the 2013 data set using the same retrieval settings and its validation against ozonesondes reveals a much smaller bias; possible reasons are under investigation.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 405-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Buchwitz ◽  
I. Khlystova ◽  
H. Bovensmann ◽  
J. P. Burrows

Abstract. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an important atmospheric constituent affecting air quality and climate. SCIAMACHY on ENVISAT is currently the only satellite instrument that can measure the vertical column of CO with nearly equal sensitivity at all altitudes down to the Earth's surface because of its near-infrared nadir observations of reflected solar radiation. Here we present three years' (2003–2005) of SCIAMACHY CO columns consistently retrieved with the latest version of our retrieval algorithm (WFMDv0.6). We describe the retrieval method and discuss the multi-year global CO data set focusing on a comparison with the operational CO column data product of MOPITT. We found reasonable to good agreement (~20%) with MOPITT, with the best agreement for 2004. We present detailed results for various regions (Europe, Middle East, India, China) and discuss to what extent enhanced levels of CO can be detected over populated areas including individual cities. The expected CO signal from cities is close to or even below the detection limit of individual measurements. We show however that cities can be identified when averaging long time series.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 3075-3085 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Rodríguez ◽  
P. Kolmonen ◽  
T. H. Virtanen ◽  
L. Sogacheva ◽  
A.-M. Sundström ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) on board the ENVISAT satellite is used to study aerosol properties. The retrieval of aerosol properties from satellite data is based on the optimized fit of simulated and measured reflectances at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). The simulations are made using a radiative transfer model with a variety of representative aerosol properties. The retrieval process utilizes a combination of four aerosol components, each of which is defined by their (lognormal) size distribution and a complex refractive index: a weakly and a strongly absorbing fine-mode component, coarse mode sea salt aerosol and coarse mode desert dust aerosol). These components are externally mixed to provide the aerosol model which in turn is used to calculate the aerosol optical depth (AOD). In the AATSR aerosol retrieval algorithm, the mixing of these components is decided by minimizing the error function given by the sum of the differences between measured and calculated path radiances at 3–4 wavelengths, where the path radiances are varied by varying the aerosol component mixing ratios. The continuous variation of the fine-mode components allows for the continuous variation of the fine-mode aerosol absorption. Assuming that the correct aerosol model (i.e. the correct mixing fractions of the four components) is selected during the retrieval process, also other aerosol properties could be computed such as the single scattering albedo (SSA). Implications of this assumption regarding the ratio of the weakly/strongly absorbing fine-mode fraction are investigated in this paper by evaluating the validity of the SSA thus obtained. The SSA is indirectly estimated for aerosol plumes with moderate-to-high AOD resulting from wildfires in Russia in the summer of 2010. Together with the AOD, the SSA provides the aerosol absorbing optical depth (AAOD). The results are compared with AERONET data, i.e. AOD level 2.0 and SSA and AAOD inversion products. The RMSE (root mean square error) is 0.03 for SSA and 0.02 for AAOD lower than 0.05. The SSA is further evaluated by comparison with the SSA retrieved from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). The SSA retrieved from both instruments show similar features, with generally lower AATSR-estimated SSA values over areas affected by wildfires.


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