Simultaneous non‐linear retrieval of atmospheric profiles and surface skin temperature from MODIS infrared radiances in Taiwan Strait

Abstract

A non‐linear iterative physical algorithm that simultaneously retrieves atmospheric temperature, water vapour distribution and surface skin temperature from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) longwave infrared radiances is presented. The retrieval algorithm uses clear‐sky radiances measured by MODIS in Taiwan Strait for both day and night, and shows that it is capable of retrieving medium‐scale atmospheric temperature and water vapour. Sea surface temperature is retrieved with an accuracy similar to that achieved by MOD07 products. Evaluation of retrieval total precipitable water vapour (TPW) is performed by comparisons with retrievals from MOD07 products and data from a ground‐based sunphotometer. These show that MODIS retrieval of TPW, in general, agrees with other sounder retrievals of TPW. The total totals index (TTI) distribution retrieved from MODIS data is similar to that from MOD07 products.

Acknowledgements

We thank Jun Li of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, who gave us help in our work, and also thank Heli Wei of Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China through grant number 40571106 and HeFei Institute of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences Innovation Program through grant number 083RC11125.