Atmospheric correction for MASTER image data using localized modelled and observed meteorology and trace gases

Authors

Daniel S. Tkacik, Carnegie Mellon University
Yaítza Luna-Cruz, Howard University
Nicholas Clinton, Airborne Sensor Facility, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CAFollow
Scott Spak, University of Iowa
John Ryan, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA

Date of this Version

2012

Citation

Remote Sensing Letters Vol. 3, No. 3, May 2012, 201–209

Comments

U.S. Government Work

Abstract

Atmospheric correction for remote sensing-based studies typically does not use information from spatio-temporally resolved meteorological models. We assessed the effect of using observations and mesoscale weather and chemical transport models on multispectral retrievals of land and ocean properties. We performed two atmospheric corrections on image data acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)/Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) airborne simulator over Monterey Bay, California. One correction used local atmospheric profiles of meteorology and trace gases at overpass and the other used the 1976 US Standard default atmospheric profile in the MODTRAN4 radiative transfer model.We found only minor impacts from atmospheric correction in the Fluorescence Line Height index of ocean chlorophyll, but substantive differences in retrievals of surface temperature and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. Improvements in sea surface temperature retrieval were validated by in situ measurements. Results indicate that spatio-temporally specific atmospheric correction factors from mesoscale models can improve retrievals of surface properties from remotely sensed image data.