Aerosol-cloud interaction-Misclassification of MODIS clouds in heavy aerosol

Author

Brennan, Jessica I. ; Kaufman, Yoram J. ; Koren, Ilan ; Li, Rong Rong

Author_Institution

Summer Inst. on Atmos., Hydrospheric & Terrestrial Sci., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA

Volume

43

Issue

4

fYear

2005

fDate

4/1/2005 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

911

Abstract

The accuracy of the spaceborne Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) cloud mask was evaluated for possible contamination by areas of heavy aerosol that may be misclassified as clouds. Analysis for several aerosol types shows that the cloud mask and products can be safely used in the presence of aerosol up to optical thickness of 0.6. Here we define as cloudy all MODIS 1-km (at nadir) pixels that were used to derive the cloud effective radius and optical thickness of water and ice clouds. The findings make it possible to study aerosol-cloud interaction from the MODIS aerosol and cloud products.

Keywords

aerosols; atmospheric measuring apparatus; clouds; radiometers; remote sensing; MODIS misclassification; aerosol-cloud interaction; aerosols; clouds; moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer; remote sensing; Aerosols; Clouds; Contamination; MODIS; Oceans; Optical sensors; Remote sensing; Satellites; Sea surface; Space technology; Aerosols; Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS); clouds; remote sensing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0196-2892

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TGRS.2005.844662

Filename

1411996