Classification of MOS-1 VTIR images in the Antarctic, a case study

Abstract

Several procedures are described for the automatic processing of data from the visible and thermal infrared radiometers of the MOS-I satellite during passes over the Antarctic. Under sunlight conditions it is possible to distinguish automatically between cloud free and cloudy surfaces by applying thresholds to the albedo, the brightness temperature and to the degree of homogeneity. Among the cloudy surfaces Stratus clouds above the Antarctic Continent are identified. The remaining clouds are classified according to their brightness temperatures and their albedos.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

W. SCHNEIDER

Now at Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Bundesstrasse 55, D-20146 Hamburg 13, Germany.