scholarly journals Cloud and surface classification using SCIAMACHY polarization measurement devices

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 9855-9881 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. Lotz ◽  
M. Vountas ◽  
T. Dinter ◽  
J. P. Burrows
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Imagery ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Polarization Measurement ◽  
Imaging Spectrometer ◽  
Cloud Properties ◽  
Measurement Devices ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Spectrometer Data ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract. A simple scheme has been developed to discriminate surface, sun glint and cloud properties in satellite based spectrometer data utilizing visible and near infrared information. It has been designed for the use with data measured by SCIAMACHY's (SCanning Imaging Absorption SpectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY) Polarization Measurement Devices but the applicability is not strictly limited to this instrument. The scheme is governed by a set of constraints and thresholds developed by using satellite imagery and meteorological data. Classification targets are ice, water and generic clouds, sun glint and surface parameters, such as water, snow/ice, desert and vegetation. The validation is done using MERIS (MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) and meteorological data from METAR (MÉTéorologique Aviation Régulière – a network for the provision of meteorological data for aviation). Qualitative and quantitative validation using MERIS satellite imagery shows good agreement. The comparison with METAR data exhibits very good agreement.

scholarly journals Cloud and surface classification using SCIAMACHY polarization measurement devices

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1279-1288 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. Lotz ◽  
M. Vountas ◽  
T. Dinter ◽  
J. P. Burrows
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Imagery ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Quantitative Agreement ◽  
Polarization Measurement ◽  
Cloud Properties ◽  
Measurement Devices ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Spectrometer Data ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract. A simple scheme has been developed to discriminate surface, sun glint and cloud properties in satellite based spectrometer data utilizing visible and near infrared information. It has been designed for the use with data measured by SCIAMACHY's (SCanning Imaging Absorption SpectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY) Polarization Measurement Devices (PMD) but the applicability is not strictly limited to this instrument. The scheme is governed by a set of constraints and thresholds developed by using satellite imagery and meteorological data. Classification targets are ice, water and generic clouds, sun glint and surface parameters, such as water, land, snow/ice, desert and vegetation. The validation has been done using MERIS (MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) and meteorological data from METAR (MÉTéorologique Aviation Régulière – a network for the provision of meteorological data for aviation). Qualitative validation using MERIS satellite imagery shows good agreement. However, the quantitative agreement is hampered by the heterogeneity of MERIS classifications within each SCIAMACHY PMD ground pixel. The comparison with METAR data shows good agreement. The comparison for sun glint classifications and MERIS results exhibits excellent agreement.

scholarly journals Continuing the MODIS Dark Target Aerosol Time Series with VIIRS

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Sawyer ◽  
Robert C. Levy ◽  
Shana Mattoo ◽  
Geoff Cureton ◽  
Yingxi Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Infrared Imaging ◽  
Retrieval Algorithm ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Imaging Spectrometer ◽  
Standard Data ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Resolution Imaging ◽  
Infrared Wavelengths ◽  
Good Agreement

For reflected sunlight observed from space at visible and near-infrared wavelengths, particles suspended in Earth’s atmosphere provide contrast with vegetation or dark water at the surface. This is the physical motivation for the Dark Target (DT) aerosol retrieval algorithm developed for the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS). To extend the data record of aerosol optical depth (AOD) beyond the expected 20-year lifespan of the MODIS sensors, DT must be adapted for other sensors. A version of the DT AOD retrieval for the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi-National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (SNPP) is now mature enough to be released as a standard data product, and includes some upgraded features from the MODIS version. Differences between MODIS Aqua and VIIRS SNPP lead to some inevitable disagreement between their respective AOD measurements, but the offset between the VIIRS SNPP and MODIS Aqua records is smaller than the offset between those of MODIS Aqua and MODIS Terra. The VIIRS SNPP retrieval shows good agreement with ground-based measurements. For most purposes, DT for VIIRS SNPP is consistent enough and in close enough agreement with MODIS to continue the record of satellite AOD. The reasons for the offset from MODIS Aqua, and its spatial and temporal variability, are investigated in this study.

scholarly journals Tracking changes in the area, thickness, and volume of the Thwaites tabular iceberg “B30” using satellite altimetry and imagery

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 3861-3876
Author(s):  
Anne Braakmann-Folgmann ◽  
Andrew Shepherd ◽  
Andy Ridout
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Imagery ◽  
Satellite Altimetry ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Ice Formation ◽  
Snow Layer ◽  
Thickness Change ◽  
Maritime Operations ◽  
Basal Melting ◽  
Arc Lengths ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract. Icebergs account for half of all ice loss from Antarctica and, once released, present a hazard to maritime operations. Their melting leads to a redistribution of cold fresh water around the Southern Ocean which, in turn, influences water circulation, promotes sea ice formation, and fosters primary production. In this study, we combine CryoSat-2 satellite altimetry with MODIS and Sentinel-1 satellite imagery and meteorological data to track changes in the area, freeboard, thickness, and volume of the B30 tabular iceberg between 2012 and 2018. We track the iceberg elevation when it was attached to Thwaites Glacier and on a further 106 occasions after it calved using Level 1b CryoSat data, which ensures that measurements recorded in different acquisition modes and within different geographical zones are consistently processed. From these data, we map the iceberg's freeboard and estimate its thickness taking snowfall and changes in snow and ice density into account. We compute changes in freeboard and thickness relative to the initial average for each overpass and compare these to estimates from precisely located tracks using the satellite imagery. This comparison shows good agreement (correlation coefficient 0.87) and suggests that colocation reduces the freeboard uncertainty by 1.6 m. We also demonstrate that the snow layer has a significant impact on iceberg thickness change. Changes in the iceberg area are measured by tracing its perimeter, and we show that alternative estimates based on arc lengths recorded in satellite altimetry profiles and on measurements of the semi-major and semi-minor axes also capture the trend, though with a 48 % overestimate and a 15 % underestimate, respectively. Since it calved, the area of B30 has decreased from 1500±60 to 426±27 km2, its mean freeboard has fallen from 49.0±4.6 to 38.8±2.2 m, and its mean thickness has reduced from 315±36 to 198±14 m. The combined loss amounts to an 80 %±16 % reduction in volume, two thirds (69 %±14 %) of which is due to fragmentation and the remainder (31 %±11 %) of which is due to basal melting.

scholarly journals Using a photochemical model for the validation of NO<sub>2</sub> satellite measurements at different solar zenith angles

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 393-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bracher ◽  
M. Sinnhuber ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
J. P. Burrows
Keyword(s):  
Zenith Angle ◽  
Solar Zenith Angle ◽  
Stratospheric Aerosol ◽  
Satellite Measurements ◽  
Imaging Spectrometer ◽  
Diurnal Variability ◽  
Photochemical Model ◽  
Satellite Sensors ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract. SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography) aboard the recently launched Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT) of ESA is measuring solar radiance upwelling from the atmosphere and the extraterrestrial irradiance. Appropriate inversion of the ultraviolet and visible radiance measurements, observed from the atmospheric limb, yields profiles of nitrogen dioxide, NO2, in the stratosphere (SCIAMACHY-IUP NO2 profiles V1). In order to assess their accuracy, the resulting NO2 profiles have been compared with those retrieved from the space borne occultation instruments Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE, data version v19) and Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE II, data version 6.2). As the HALOE and SAGE II measurements are performed during local sunrise or sunset and because NO2 has a significant diurnal variability, the NO2 profiles derived from HALOE and SAGE II have been transformed to those predicted for the solar zenith angles of the SCIAMACHY measurement by using a 1-dimensional photochemical model. The model used to facilitate the comparison of the NO2 profiles from the different satellite sensors is described and a sensitivity ananlysis provided. Comparisons between NO2 profiles from SCIAMACHY and those from HALOE NO2 but transformed to the SCIAMACHY solar zenith angle, for collocations from July to October 2002, show good agreement (within +/-12%) between the altitude range from 22 to 33km. The results from the comparison of all collocated NO2 profiles from SCIAMACHY and those from SAGE II transformed to the SCIAMACHY solar zenith angle show a systematic negative bias of 10 to 35% between 20km to 38km with a small standard deviation between 5 to 14%. These results agree with those of Newchurch and Ayoub (2004), implying that above 20km NO2 profiles from SAGE II sunset are probably somewhat high.

scholarly journals MERIS albedo climatology for FRESCO+ O<sub>2</sub> A-band cloud retrieval

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 4603-4644 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Popp ◽  
P. Wang ◽  
D. Brunner ◽  
P. Stammes ◽  
Y. Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Imaging Spectrometer ◽  
Retrieval Scheme ◽  
Bright Surface ◽  
Resolution Imaging ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Small Cloud

Abstract. A new global albedo climatology for Oxygen A-band cloud retrievals is presented. The climatology is based on MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) Albedomap data and its favourable impact on the derivation of cloud fraction is demonstrated for the FRESCO+ (Fast Retrieval Scheme for Clouds from the Oxygen A-band) algorithm. To date, a relatively coarse resolution (1° × 1°) surface reflectance dataset from GOME (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment) Lambert-equivalent reflectivity (LER) is used in FRESCO+. The GOME LER climatology does not account for the usually higher spatial resolution of UV/VIS instruments designed for trace gas remote sensing which introduces several artefacts, e.g. in regions with sharp spectral contrasts like coastlines or over bright surface targets. Therefore, MERIS black-sky albedo (BSA) data from the period October 2002 to October 2006 were aggregated to a grid of 0.25° × 0.25° for each month of the year and for different spectral channels. In contrary to other available surface reflectivity datasets, MERIS includes channels at 754 nm and 775 nm which are located close to the spectral windows required for O2 A-band cloud retrievals. The MERIS BSA in the near infrared compares well to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived BSA with an average difference lower than 1% and a correlation coefficient of 0.98. However, when relating MERIS BSA to GOME LER a distinctly lower correlation (0.80) and enhanced scatter is found. Effective cloud fractions from two exemplary months (January and July 2006) of Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) data were subsequently derived with FRESCO+ and compared to those from the Heidelberg Iterative Cloud Retrieval Utilities (HICRU) algorithm. The MERIS climatology generally improves FRESCO+ effective cloud fractions. In particular small cloud fractions are in better agreement with HICRU. This is of importance for atmospheric trace gas retrieval which relies on accurate cloud information at small cloud fractions. In addition, overestimates along coastlines and underestimates in the Intertropical Convergence Zone introduced by the GOME LER were eliminated. While effective cloud fractions over the Saharan desert and the Arabian peninsula are successfully reduced in January, they are still too high in July relative to HICRU due to FRESCO+'s large sensitivity to albedo inaccuracies of highly reflecting targets and inappropriate aerosol information which hampers an accurate albedo retrieval. Apart from FRESCO+, the new MERIS albedo data base is applicable to any cloud retrieval algorithms using the O2 A-band or the O2-O2 absorption band around 477 nm. Moreover, the by-product of BSA at 442 nm can be used in NO2 remote sensing and the BSA at 620 nm, 665 nm, and 681 nm could be integrated in current H2O retrievals.

scholarly journals Using photochemical models for the validation of NO<sub>2</sub> satellite measurements at different solar zenith angles

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 5515-5548 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bracher ◽  
M. Sinnhuber ◽  
A. Rozanov ◽  
J. P. Burrows
Keyword(s):  
Zenith Angle ◽  
Solar Zenith Angle ◽  
Stratospheric Aerosol ◽  
Error Assessment ◽  
Satellite Measurements ◽  
Imaging Spectrometer ◽  
Diurnal Variability ◽  
Satellite Sensors ◽  
Scanning Imaging ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract. SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography) aboard the recently launched Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT) of ESA is measuring solar radiance upwelling from the atmosphere and the extraterrestrial irradiance. Appropriate inversion of the ultraviolet and visible radiance measurements, observed from the atmospheric limb, yields profiles of nitrogen dioxide, NO2, in the stratosphere. In order to assess their accuracy, the resulting NO2 profiles have been compared with those retrieved from the space borne occultation instruments Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE, data version v19) and Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE II, data version 6.20). As the HALOE and SAGE II measurements are performed during local sunrise or sunset and because NO2 has a significant diurnal variability, the NO2 profiles derived from HALOE and SAGE II have been transformed to those predicted for the solar zenith angles of the SCIAMACHY measurement by using a 1-D photochemical model. The model used to facilitate the comparison of the NO2 profiles from the different satellite sensors is described and an error assessment provided. Comparisons between NO2 profiles from SCIAMACHY and those from HALOE NO2 but transformed to the SCIAMACHY solar zenith angle, for collocations from July to October 2002, show good agreement (within +/−15%) between the altitude range from 22 to 33 km. The results from the comparison of all collocated NO2 profiles from SCIAMACHY and those from SAGE II transformed to the SCIAMACHY solar zenith angle show a systematic negative bias of 10 to 35% between 20 km to 38 km with a small standard deviation between 5 to 14%. These results agree with those of Newchurch and Ayoub (2004), implying that above 20 km NO2 profiles from SAGE II sunset are probably somewhat high.

scholarly journals Contiguous polarisation spectra of the Earth from 300 to 850 nm measured by GOME-2 onboard MetOp-A

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 2047-2059 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. G. Tilstra ◽  
R. Lang ◽  
R. Munro ◽  
I. Aben ◽  
P. Stammes
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Spectral Dependence ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Infrared Wavelength ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Mode Of Operation ◽  
Spectral Behaviour ◽  
Measurement Devices ◽  
Polarisation Measurements ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract. In this paper we present the first contiguous high-resolution spectra of the Earth's polarisation observed by a satellite instrument. The measurements of the Stokes fraction Q/I are performed by the spectrometer GOME-2 onboard the MetOp-A satellite. Polarisation measurements by GOME-2 are performed by onboard polarisation measurement devices (PMDs) and the high-resolution measurements discussed in this paper are taken in the special "PMD RAW" mode of operation. The spectral resolution of these PMD RAW polarisation measurements varies from 3 nm in the ultraviolet (UV) to 35 nm in the near-infrared wavelength range. We first compare measurements of the polarisation from cloud-free scenes with radiative transfer calculations for a number of cases. We find good agreement but also a spectral discrepancy at 800 nm, which we attribute to remaining imperfections in the calibration key data. Secondly, we study the polarisation of scenes with special scattering geometries that normally lead to near-zero Q/I. The GOME-2 polarisation spectra indeed show this behaviour and confirm the existence of the small discrepancy found earlier. Thirdly, we study the Earth polarisation for a variety of scenes. This provides a blueprint of Q/I over land and sea surfaces for various degrees of cloud cover. Fourthly, we compare the spectral dependence of measurements of Q/I in the UV with the generalised distribution function proposed by Schutgens and Stammes (2002) to describe the shape of the UV polarisation spectrum. The GOME-2 data confirm that these functions match the spectral behaviour captured by the GOME-2 PMD RAW mode.

scholarly journals Contiguous polarisation spectra of the Earth from 300–850 nm measured by GOME-2 onboard MetOp-A

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 11309-11343
Author(s):  
L. G. Tilstra ◽  
R. Lang ◽  
R. Munro ◽  
I. Aben ◽  
P. Stammes
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Infrared Wavelength ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Mode Of Operation ◽  
Spectral Behaviour ◽  
Measurement Devices ◽  
Polarisation Measurements ◽  
Good Agreement

Abstract. In this paper we present the first contiguous high-resolution spectra of the Earth's polarisation observed by a satellite instrument. The measurements of the Stokes fraction Q/I are performed by the spectrometer GOME-2 onboard the MetOp-A satellite. Polarisation measurements by GOME-2 are performed by onboard polarisation measurement devices (PMDs) and the high-resolution measurements discussed in this paper are taken in the special "PMD RAW" mode of operation. The spectral resolution of these PMD RAW polarisation measurements varies from 3 nm in the ultraviolet (UV) to 35 nm in the near-infrared wavelength range. We first compare measurements of the polarisation from cloud-free scenes with radiative transfer calculations for a number of cases. We find good agreement but also a spectral discrepancy at 800 nm, which we attribute to remaining imperfections in the calibration key data. Secondly, we study the polarisation of scenes with special scattering geometries that normally lead to near-zero Q/I. The GOME-2 polarisation spectra indeed show this behaviour and confirm the existence of the small discrepancy found earlier. Thirdly, we study the Earth polarisation for a variety of scenes. This provides a blueprint of Q/I over land and sea surfaces for various degrees of cloud cover. Fourthly, we compare the spectral dependence of measurements of Q/I in the UV with the generalised distribution function that was proposed in the past (Schutgens and Stammes, 2002) to describe the shape of the UV polarisation spectrum. The GOME-2 data confirm that these functions match the spectral behaviour captured by the GOME-2 PMD RAW mode.

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