Theory and validation of the multiple window sea surface temperature technique

The development of the “split window” approach for correcting satellite measurement of radiance for atmospheric attenuation is reviewed. Then the theoretical results are compared to results from actual measurements which consist of satellite measurements in the three infrared windows of the AVHRR. Ground truth for the comparisons comes from buoys. The satellite measurements were screened for clouds, and the remaining ones were used in the analysis. Using this data set, several statistical analyses were performed. These showed that, when the two channels that are truly a split window are used, the result of the statistical model agrees with the one derived from theoretical considerations. When the 3.8-μm channel is combined with one in the 10–12 μm region, the result of the statistical model does not take the split window form. Results show that the method is capable of producing sea surface temperatures with a standard deviation of 1 K or less.

[1]  A. Strong,et al.  Improved Ocean Surface Temperatures From Space—Comparisons With Drifting Buoys , 1984 .

[2]  I. J. Barton,et al.  Dual channel satellite measurements of sea surface temperature , 1983 .

[3]  A. Chedin,et al.  A Single-Channel, Double-Viewing Angle Method for Sea Surface Temperature Determination from Coincident METEOSAT and TIROS-N Radiometric Measurements , 1982 .

[4]  G. D. Hamilton,et al.  NOAA Data Buoy Office Programs , 1980 .

[5]  A. Schwalb,et al.  The TIROS-N/NOAA A-G satellite series , 1978 .

[6]  Larry M. McMillin,et al.  Estimation of sea surface temperatures from two infrared window measurements with different absorption , 1975 .

[7]  C. Prabhakara,et al.  Estimation of sea surface temperature from remote sensing in the 11‐ to 13‐μm window region , 1974 .

[8]  R. Kauth,et al.  Estimation of Sea Surface Temperature from Space , 1970 .

[9]  K. Bignell,et al.  The water‐vapour infra‐red continuum , 1970 .

[10]  P. M. Saunders,et al.  Aerial measurement of sea surface temperature in the infrared , 1967 .

[11]  W. Viezee,et al.  A model for computing infrared transmission through atmospheric water vapor and carbon dioxide , 1964 .

[12]  William G. Pichel,et al.  Multi-channel improvements to satellite-derived global sea surface temperatures , 1983 .

[13]  L. McMillin.  A method of determining surface temperatures from measurements of spectral radiance at two wavelengths , 1971 .

[14]  George A. Maul,et al.  Estimation of sea surface temperature from space , 1971 .

[15]  R. Kauth,et al.  Reply to the comment by G. A. Maul and M. Sidran , 1971 .