On-orbit microwave blackbody calibration using regions of dense vegetation

Author

Brown, Shannon ; Ruf, Chris

Author_Institution

Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Volume

7

fYear

2003

fDate

21-25 July 2003

Firstpage

4497

Abstract

Brightness temperatures (TBs) from satellite microwave radiometers need to be calibrated on-orbit at the hottest and coldest ends of the dynamic TB spectrum. A method is developed to determine hot reference calibration TBs from SSM/I TB data for other radiometers operating between 18-40 GHz and 0-55 degrees incidence. Regions of optically thick vegetation in the Amazon rainforest are chosen as calibration targets. Hot reference temperatures for the on-orbit calibration of microwave radiometers are determined for these regions.

Keywords

blackbody radiation; brightness; calibration; forestry; radiometers; radiometry; vegetation mapping; 18 to 40 GHz; Amazon rainforest; SSM/I TB data; brightness temperatures; dense vegetation regions; dynamic brightness temperatures; hot reference calibration; on-orbit microwave blackbody calibration; satellite microwave radiometers; Atmospheric measurements; Brightness temperature; Calibration; Frequency; Ocean temperature; Optical scattering; Optical surface waves; Radiometers; Sea surface; Vegetation;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2003. IGARSS '03. Proceedings. 2003 IEEE International

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7929-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IGARSS.2003.1295559

Filename

1295559