Comparison Study between MODIS Terra and Aqua using Level-2 Aerosol Product for AOT Retrieval over Ocean

Aerosol characterization is one of the most challenging problems in modern atmospheric science. The temporal and spatial variance of aerosols makes its characterization difficult. The ability of MODIS to view in a variety of spectral bands coupled with good spatial coverage, and its repeatability over a short period of time makes it a good choice to study aerosol thickness often referred as AOT. The data set used for the analysis comprises of MODIS Level 2 product for Terra and Aqua over North-Atlantic (N. A.) Ocean site. The comparison study of Terra and Aqua Aerosol products over the N.A. Ocean indicated maximum correlation (with a Pearson´s correlation coefficient of 0.9972) in the 550 nm wavelength. The study also indicated the consistency of high correlations in the other bands used in the measurement of AOT. The observed error bars in AOT were well within the theoretical budget. This simple study showed the reliability of the MOD04 Aerosol products, the radiometric fidelity of the MODIS sensors over its mission time.