Comparison and evaluation of dust detection algorithms using MODIS Aqua/Terra Level 1B data and MODIS/OMI dust products in the Middle East

Abstract

Dust storms have a major impact on air quality, economic loss, and human health over large regions of the Middle East. Because of the broad extent of dust storms and also political–security issues in this region, satellite data are an important source of dust detection and mapping. The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate the performance of five main dust detection algorithms, including Ackerman, Miller, normalized difference dust index (NDDI), Roskovensky and Liou, and thermal-infrared dust index (TDI), using MODIS Level 1B and also MODIS Deep Blue AOD and OMI AI products in two dust events originating from Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Overall, results showed that the performance of the algorithms varied from event to event and it was not possible to use the published dust/no-dust thresholds for the algorithms tested in the study area. The MODIS AOD and OMI AI products were very effective for initial dust detection and the AOD and AI images correlated highly with the dust images at provincial scale (p-value <0.001), but the application of these products was limited at local scale due to their poor spatial resolution. Results also indicated that algorithms based on MODIS thermal infrared (TIR) bands or a combination of TIR and reflectance bands were better indicators of dust than reflectance-based ones. Among the TIR- based algorithms, TDI performed the best over water surfaces and dust sources, and accounted for approximately 93% and 90% of variations in the AOD and OMI AI data.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr Ali Heidari, Head of Iranian National Science Foundation (INSF), for supporting this project. We would also like to thank INSF for supporting this project and the Information Technology Centre of Isfahan University of Technology for providing MODIS and OMI satellite data.