Intercomparison between multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) and sunphotometer aerosol optical thickness in dust source regions over China: implications for satellite aerosol retrievals and radiative forcing calculations

Sundar A. Christopher; Jun Wang

doi:10.3402/tellusb.v56i5.16462

Intercomparison between multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) and sunphotometer aerosol optical thickness in dust source regions over China: implications for satellite aerosol retrievals and radiative forcing calculations

Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology

Volume 56 (2004): Issue 5

By: Sundar A. Christopher and Jun Wang

Open Access

|Jan 2004

Abstract

The multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) aerosol optical thickness (AOT) product (τ_MISR) was compared with sunphotometer AOT (τ_SP) at Dunhuang (40.09°N, 94.41°E), located near the Takalamakan and Gobi dust source regions in China, during March—November 2000. This study is unique because AOT measurements from the ground are not routinely available at or near dust source regions. The τ_MISR and τ_SP are highly correlated, with linear correlation coefficients (R) ranging from 0.85 to 0.95 depending on the different comparison criteria used to assess the MISR retrievals. With one exception where τ_MISR shows large differences (>0.3) when compared with τ_SP during the passage of a dust front, all other collocated τ_SP/τ_MISR pairs are highly correlated with R > 0.9 and with root-mean-square error of 0.06 when retrieval conditions are favourable. Overall, τ_MISR systemically over-estimate τ_SP by 0.05, but they all fall within the predicted uncertainties (0.05 or 20% of τ_SP, whichever is larger). Due to diurnal change of AOT, the difference between daily averaged τ_SP values and τ_MISR reported during MISR overpass time is about 0.09. We discuss the implications of these results for satellite aerosol retrievals and radiative forcing studies.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusb.v56i5.16462 | Journal eISSN: 1600-0889

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Language: English

Page range: 451 - 456

Submitted on: Feb 3, 2004

Accepted on: Apr 23, 2004

Published on: Jan 1, 2004

Published by: Stockholm University Press

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 2004 Sundar A. Christopher, Jun Wang, published by Stockholm University Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 56 (2004): Issue 5