Intercomparison of active microwave derived surface status and MODIS land surface temperature at high latitudes

Knowledge about the freeze/thaw state of the surface is of major importance for climate modelling, hydrology and numerous other applications. In this study, a freeze/thaw state detection algorithm using the ASCAT scatterometer is compared to Land Surface Temperature (LST) from MODIS as well as to a product derived from ENVISAT ASAR data. Good agreement with the LST product was found over the study area in Northern Siberia with disagreement below 22% for all 8-day periods of 2007. SAR derived surface status can, if sufficient sampling is available, provide similar results as with ASCAT but even with higher spatial detail.

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