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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2012

Improvement of Aerosol Optical Depth Retrieval from MODIS Spectral Reflectance over the Global Ocean Using New Aerosol Models Archived from AERONET Inversion Data and Tri-axial Ellipsoidal Dust Database

New over-ocean aerosol models are developed by integrating the inversion data from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) sun/sky radiometers with a database for the optical properties of tri-axial ellipsoid particles. The new aerosol models allow more accurate retrieval of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in the case of high AOD (AOD greater than 0.3). The aerosol models are categorized by using the fine-mode fraction (FMF) at 550 nm and the singlescattering albedo (SSA) at 440 nm from the AERONET inversion data to include a variety of aerosol types found around the globe. For each aerosol model, the changes in the aerosol optical properties (AOPs) as functions of AOD are considered to better represent aerosol characteristics. Comparisons of AODs between AERONET and MODIS for the period from 2003 to 2010 show that the use of the new aerosol models enhances the AOD accuracy with a Pearson coefficient of 0.93 and a regression slope of 0.99 compared to 0.92 and 0.85 calculated using the MODIS Collection 5 data. Moreover, the percentage of data within an expected error of +/-(0.03 + 0.05xAOD) is increased from 62 percent to 64 percent for overall data and from 39 percent to 51 percent for AOD greater than 0.3. Errors in the retrieved AOD are further characterized with respect to the Angstrom exponent (AE), scattering angle, SSA, and air mass factor (AMF). Due to more realistic AOPs assumptions, the new algorithm generally reduces systematic errors in the retrieved AODs compared with the current operational algorithm. In particular, the underestimation of fine-dominated AOD and the scattering angle dependence of dust-dominated AOD are significantly mitigated as results of the new algorithm's improved treatment of aerosol size distribution and dust particle nonsphericity.

aerosol optical depth↗
NASA NTRS2001

The New MODIS-Terra, and the Proposed COBRA Mission: First Global Aerosol Distribution and Properties Over Land and Ocean, and Plans to Measure Global Black Carbon Absorption Over the Ocean Glint

The MODIS instrument was launched on the NASA Terra satellite in Dec. 1999. Since last Oct, the sensor and the aerosol algorithm reached maturity and provide global daily retrievals of aerosol optical thickness and properties. MODIS has 36 spectral channels in the visible to IR with resolution down to 250 m. This allows accurate cloud screening and multi-spectral aerosol retrievals. We derive the aerosol optical thickness over the ocean and most of the land areas, distinguishing between fine (mainly man-made aerosol) and coarse (mainly natural) aerosol particles. New methods to derive the aerosol absorption of sunlight are also being developed. These measurements are use to track different aerosol sources, transport and the radiative forcing at the top and bottom of the atmosphere. However MODIS or any present satellite sensor cannot measure absorption by Black Carbon over the oceans, a critical component in studying climate change and human health. For this purpose we propose the COBRA mission that observes the ocean at glint and off glint simultaneously measuring the spectral polarized light and deriving precisely the aerosol absorption.

Kaufman, Yoram J.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Adaptive Data Screening for Multi-Angle Polarimetric Aerosol and Ocean Color Remote Sensing Accelerated by Automatic Differentiation

Remote sensing measurements from multi-angle polarimeters (MAPs) contain rich aerosol microphysical property information, and these sensors have been used to perform retrievals in optically complex atmosphere and ocean systems. Previous studies have concluded that, generally, five moderately separated viewing angles in each spectral band provide sufficient accuracy for aerosol property retrievals, with performance gradually saturating as angles are added above that threshold. The Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter (HARP) instruments provide high angular sampling with a total of 90-120 unique angles across four bands, a capability developed mainly for liquid cloud retrievals. In practice, not all view angles are optimal for aerosol retrievals due to impacts of clouds, sun glint, and other impediments. The many viewing angles of HARP can provide resilience to these effects, if the impacted views are screened from the dataset, as the remaining views may be sufficient for successful analysis. In this study, we discuss how the number of available viewing angles impacts aerosol and ocean color retrieval uncertainties, as applied to two versions of the HARP instrument. AirHARP is an airborne prototype that was deployed in the ACEPOL field campaign, while HARP2 is an instrument in development for the upcoming NASA Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission. Based on synthetic data, we find that a total of 20-30 angles across all bands (i.e. five to eight viewing angles per band) are sufficient to achieve good retrieval performance. Following from this result, we develop an adaptive multi-angle polarimetric data screening (MAPDS) approach to evaluate data quality by comparing measurements with their best-fitted forward model. The FastMAPOL retrieval algorithm is used to retrieve scene geophysical values, by matching an efficient, deep learning-based, radiative transfer emulator to observations. The data screening method effectively identifies and removes viewing angles affected by thin cirrus clouds and other anomalies, improving retrieval performance. This was tested with AirHARP data, and we found agreement with the High Spectral Resolution Lidar-2 (HSRL-2) aerosol data. The data screening approach can be applied to modern satellite remote sensing missions, such as PACE, where a large amount of multi-angle, hyperspectral, polarimetric measurements will be collected.

multi-angle polarimeter↗
NASA NTRS1995

Bidirectional reflectance of oceanic waters: A comparison of modeled and measured upward radiance fields

The bidirectional reflectance of oceanic waters is conveniently described in a normalized way by forming the ratio of the upwelling irradiance E(sub u) to any upwelling radiance L(sub u)(theta prime, phi). This ratio, Q (theta prime, theta(sub 0), (phi(sub 0) - phi), where theta prime, phi are the nadir and azimuth angles for the upward radiance and theta(sub 0), phi(sub 0) are the zenith and azimuth angles of the Sun, has been determined from measurements at sea and computed via Monte Carlo simulations using the inherent optical properties measured in the field and appropriate boundary conditions (clear sky, no wind, varying Sun angle). Experimental ad computed Q values are in excellent agreement. This successful comparison confirms the importance of the bidirectional character of ocean reflectance, already pointed out from a purely numerical approach without field validation, and corroborates the extended range of the Q variations. The later point is of importance when interpreting the marine signals detected by an ocean color satellite-borne sensor. The validation is extended by considering the historical data for the radiance distributions in Lake Pend Oreille determined at various depths. The closure issue in ocean optics is examined by solving the direct problem of radiative transfer and through a model-data comparison in terms of radiance field.

Morel, Andre↗
NASA NTRS2008

Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) as a Component of AERONET

The World Ocean produces a large amount of natural aerosols that have all impact on the Earth's albedo and climate. Sea-salt is the major contributor to aerosol optical depth over the oceans. [Mahowald et al. 2006; Chin et al. 2002; Satheesh et al. 1999; Winter and Chylek, 1997] and therefore affects the radiative balance over the ocean through the direct [Haywood et al. 1999] and indirect aerosol effect [O'Dowd et al. 1999]. Aerosols over the oceans (produced marine and advected from land sources) are important for various atmospheric processes [Lewis and Schwartz, 2004] and remote sensing studies [Gordon, 1997].

Smirnov, A.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Simulated Inherent Optical Properties of Aquatic Particles Using the Equivalent Algal Populations (EAP) Model

Paired measurements of phytoplankton absorption and backscatter, the inherent optical properties central to the interpretation of ocean colour remote sensing data, are notoriously rare. We present a dataset of Chlorophyll a (Chl a) -specific phytoplankton absorption, scatter and backscatter for 17 different phytoplankton groups, derived from first principles using measured in vivo pigment absorption and a well-validated semi-analytical coated sphere model which simulates the full suite of biophysically consistent phytoplankton optical properties. The optical properties of each simulated phytoplankton cell are integrated over an entire size distribution and are provided at high spectral resolution. The model code is additionally included to enable user access to the complete set of wavelength-dependent, angularly resolved volume scattering functions. This optically coherent dataset of hyperspectral optical properties for a set of globally significant phytoplankton groups has potential for use in algorithm development towards the optimal exploitation of the new age of hyperspectral satellite radiometry.

Equivalent Algal Populations↗
NASA NTRS2021

Analysis of simultaneous aerosol and ocean glint retrieval using multi-angle observations

Since early 2000, NASA's Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument has been performing remote sensing retrievals of aerosol optical properties from the polar-orbiting Terra spacecraft. A noteworthy aspect of MISR observations over the ocean is that, for much of the Earth, some of the multi-angle views have contributions from solar reflection by the ocean surface (glint, or glitter), while others do not. Aerosol retrieval algorithms often discard these glint-influenced observations because they can overwhelm the signal and are difficult to predict without knowledge of the (wind-speed-driven) ocean surface roughness. However, theoretical studies have shown that multi-angle observations of a location at geometries with and without reflected sun glint can be a rich source of information, sufficient to support simultaneous retrieval of both the aerosol state and the wind speed at the ocean surface. We are in the early stages of creating such an algorithm. In this paper, we describe our assessment of the appropriate level of parameterization for simultaneous aerosol and ocean surface property retrievals using sun glint. For this purpose, we use generalized nonlinear retrieval analysis (GENRA), an information content assessment (ICA) technique employing Bayesian inference, and simulations from the Ahmad–Fraser iterative radiative transfer code. We find that four parameters are suitable: aerosol optical depth (τ), particle size distribution (expressed as the fine mode fraction f of small particles in a bimodal size distribution), surface wind speed (w), and relative humidity (r, to define the aerosol water content and complex refractive index). None of these parameters define ocean optical properties, as we found that the aerosol state could be retrieved with the nine MISR near-infrared views alone, where the ocean body is strongly absorbing in the open ocean. We also found that retrieval capability varies with observation geometry and that as τ increases so does the ability to determine aerosol intensive optical properties (r and f, while it decreases for w). Increases in w decrease the ability to determine the true value of that parameter but have minimal impact on retrieval of aerosol properties. We explored the benefit of excluding the two most extreme MISR view angles for which radiative transfer with the plane-parallel approximation is less certain, but we found no advantage in doing so. Finally, the impact of treating wind speed as a scalar parameter, rather than as a two-parameter directional wind, was tested. While the simpler scalar model does contribute to overall aerosol uncertainty, it is not sufficiently large to justify the addition of another dimension to parameter space. An algorithm designed upon these principles is in development. It will be used to perform an atmospheric correction with MISR for coincident ocean color (OC) observations by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument, also on the NASA Terra spacecraft. Unlike MISR, MODIS is a single-view-angle instrument, but it has a more complete set of spectral channels ideal for determination of optical ocean properties. The atmospheric correction of MODIS OC data can therefore benefit from MISR aerosol retrievals. Furthermore, higher-spatial-resolution data from coincident MISR observations may also improve glint screening.

Kirk Knobelspiesse↗
NASA NTRS2017

MODIS Aqua Optical Throughput Degradation Impact on Relative Spectral Response and Calibration on Ocean Color Products

Since Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Aqua's launch in 2002, the radiometric system gains of the reflective solar bands have been degrading, indicating changes in the systems optical throughput. To estimate the optical throughput degradation, the electronic gain changes were estimated and removed from the measured system gain. The derived optical throughput degradation shows a rate that is much faster in the shorter wavelengths than the longer wavelengths. The wavelength-dependent optical throughput degradation modulated the relative spectral response (RSR) of the bands. In addition, the optical degradation is also scan angle-dependent due to large changes in response versus the scan angle over time. We estimated the modulated RSR as a function of time and scan angles and its impacts on sensor radiometric calibration for the ocean science. Our results show that the calibration bias could be up to 1.8 % for band 8 (412 nm) due to its larger out-of-band response. For the other ocean bands, the calibration biases are much smaller with magnitudes at least one order smaller.

Lee, Shihyan↗
NASA NTRS2018

Remote Sensing of CDOM, CDOM Spectral Slope, and Dissolved Organic Carbon in the Global Ocean

A Global Ocean Carbon Algorithm Database (GOCAD) has been developed from over 500 oceanographic field campaigns conducted worldwide over the past 30 years including in situ reflectances and coincident satellite imagery, multi- and hyperspectral Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) absorption coefficients from 245–715 nm, CDOM spectral slopes in eight visible and ultraviolet wavebands, dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC and POC, respectively), and inherent optical, physical, and biogeochemical properties. From field optical and radiometric data and satellite measurements, several semi-analytical, empirical, and machine learning algorithms for retrieving global DOC, CDOM, and CDOM slope were developed, optimized for global retrieval, and validated. Global climatologies of satellite-retrieved CDOM absorption coefficient and spectral slope based on the most robust of these algorithms lag seasonal patterns of phytoplankton biomass belying Case 1 assumptions, and track terrestrial runoff on ocean basin scales. Variability in satellite retrievals of CDOM absorption and spectral slope anomalies are tightly coupled to changes in atmospheric and oceanographic conditions associated with El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), strongly covary with the multivariate ENSO index in a large region of the tropical Pacific, and provide insights into the potential evolution and feedbacks related to sea surface dissolved carbon in a warming climate. Further validation of the DOC algorithm developed here is warranted to better characterize its limitations, particularly in mid-ocean gyres and the southern oceans.

Dissolved organic carbon↗
NASA NTRS2020

Bayesian retrieval of optically relevant properties from hyperspectral water-leaving reflectances

Current methods to retrieve optically relevant properties from ocean color observations do not explicitly make use of prior knowledge about property distributions. Here we implement a simplified Bayesian approach that takes into account prior probability distributions on two sets of five optically relevant parameters, and conduct a retrieval of these parameters using hyperspectral simulated water-leaving reflectances. We focus specifically on the ability of the model to distinguish between two optically similar phytoplankton taxa, diatoms and Noctiluca scintillans. The inversion retrieval gives most-likely concentrations and uncertainty estimates, and we find that the model is able to probabilistically predict the occurrence of Noctiluca scintillans blooms using these metrics. We discuss how this method can be expanded to include a priori covariances between different parameters, and show the effect of varying measurement uncertainty and spectral resolution on Noctiluca scintillans bloom predictions.

Zachary K Erickson↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The PACE-MAPP Algorithm: Simultaneous Aerosol and Ocean Products From Combined Polarimeter and Shortwave Infrared Measurements

PACE-MAPP collaborative algorithm project - Produce accurate aerosol optical and microphysical properties and ocean properties - Use a coupled atmosphere-ocean vector radiative transfer (VRT) model - Use accurate but fast Mie/SS/T-matrix LUTs - Use scientific machine learning to speed-up retrievals by 1000x (PACE-MAPP Neural Network) - PACE-MAPP is a multi-instrument polarimeter algorithm for SPEXone, HARP2, OCI shortwave infrared channels

Snorre Alfred Moen Stamnes↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TPSAS-NF1676L-34796-DND

The recently completed 2015-2017 EVS-2 mission NAAMES (The North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study) provides a unique set of airborne remote sensing and ship-based in situ measurements in a remote and under-sampled region of the Earth?s ocean. The NASA SABOR (Ship-Aircraft Bio-Optical Research) campaign was conducted during the summer of 2014, also in the Atlantic Ocean, out of the Chesapeake Bay and in the eastern coastal region of the United States. For both campaigns, the NASA GISS Research Scanning Polarimeter, a multi-angle, multi-spectral polarimeter measured the upwelling polarized radiances from aircraft. And for both campaigns, ship-based in situ measurements of the ocean were collected jointly with the aircraft measurements. We present results from the new RSP-MAPP (1) that is based on optimal estimation and that can retrieve simultaneous aerosol microphysical properties (including effective radius, single-scattering albedo, and real refractive index) and ocean color products using accurate radiative transfer, Mie calculations, and the DP (Detritus Plankton) series of accurate, numerically efficient ocean bio-optical models. The RSP-MAPP algorithm was applied to data collected during SABOR and NAAMES to retrieve aerosol microphysics and ocean products for all Aerosols-Above-Ocean (AAO) scenes. The RSP-MAPP products are compared against i) collocated aerosol extinction and backscatter profiles collected by the NASA LaRC airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL-1), including lidar depth profiles of the ocean diffuse attenuation coefficient and the hemispherical backscatter coefficient, and ii) collocated ship-based in situ measurements of the ocean.

Snorre Stamnes↗
NASA NTRS2001

Satellite Ocean Color Validation Using Merchant Ships

A collaborative measurement program for evaluating satellite-derived ocean color has been developed based on ships of opportunity (merchant, oceanographic) and specific instrumentation, the SIMBAD radiometer. The purpose of the measurement program is to complement, in a cost-effective way, dedicated evaluation experiments at sea, which are expensive, cannot be carried out over the full range of expected oceanic and atmospheric conditions, and generally provide a few match-ups. Ships participate in the program on a volunteer basis or at a very small cost, and measurement procedures do not interfere with other ship activities. The SIMBAD radiometer is a portable, easy-to-operate instrument that measures the basic ocean color variables, namely aerosol optical thickness and water-leaving radiance, in typical spectral bands of ocean-color sensors, i.e., 443, 490, 560, 670, and 870 nm. Measuring these variables at the time of satellite overpass is usually sufficient to verify satellite-derived ocean color and to evaluate atmospheric correction algorithms. Any ordinary crew can learn quickly how to make measurements. Importantly, the ship is not required to stop, making it possible to collect data along regular routes traveled by merchant ships in the world's oceans.

Frouin, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1989

New approaches to the measurement of chlorophyll, related pigments and productivity in the sea

In the 1984 SBIR Call for Proposals, NASA solicited new methods to measure primary production and chlorophyll in the ocean. Biospherical Instruments Inc. responded to this call with a proposal first to study a variety of approaches to this problem. A second phase of research was then funded to pursue instrumentation to measure the sunlight stimulated naturally occurring fluorescence of chlorophyll in marine phytoplankton. The monitoring of global productivity, global fisheries resources, application of above surface-to-underwater optical communications systems, submarine detection applications, correlation, and calibration of remote sensing systems are but some of the reasons for developing inexpensive sensors to measure chlorophyll and productivity. Normally, productivity measurements are manpower and cost intensive and, with the exception of a very few expensive multiship research experiments, provide no contemporaneous data. We feel that the patented, simple sensors that we have designed will provide a cost effective method for large scale, synoptic, optical measurements in the ocean. This document is the final project report for a NASA sponsored SBIR Phase 2 effort to develop new methods for the measurements of primary production in the ocean. This project has been successfully completed, a U.S. patent was issued covering the methodology and sensors, and the first production run of instrumentation developed under this contract has sold out and been delivered.

Booth, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Remote Sensing of Aerosol and their Radiative Properties from the MODIS Instrument on EOS-Terra Satellite: First Results and Evaluation

The MODIS instrument was launched on the NASA Terra satellite in Dec. 1999. Since last Oct., the sensor and the aerosol algorithm reached maturity and provide global daily retrievals of aerosol optical thickness and properties. MODIS has 36 spectral channels in the visible to IR with resolution down to 250 m. This allows accurate cloud screening and multi-spectral aerosol retrievals. We derive the aerosol optical thickness over the ocean and most of the land areas, distinguishing between fine (mainly man-made aerosol) and coarse aerosol particles. The information is more precise over the ocean where we derive also the effective radius and scattering asymmetry parameter of the aerosol. New methods to derive the aerosol single scattering albedo are also being developed. These measurements are use to track different aerosol sources, transport and the radiative forcing at the top and bottom of the atmosphere. The AErosol RObotic NETwork of ground based radiometers is used for global validation of the satellite derived optical thickness, size parameters and single scattering albedo and measure additional aerosol parameters that cannot be derived from space.

Kaufman, Yoram↗
NASA NTRS1999

Land-Ocean Differences in LIS and OTD Tropical Lightning Observations

Significant differences are known to exist on a global scale between continental and oceanic total lightning regional flash rates, suggesting differences in the properties of convective storms in these regimes. Lightning properties observed by the Optical Transient Detector (OTD) and Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) over land and ocean are compared, limited to analysis over the tropics in order to simplify physical interpretation. We find that the mean flash rates of individual storms over tropical land only exceed those over ocean by a factor of 2 (far less than the observed differences in regional flash rates). However, the average nearest neighbor distance of continental thunderstorms in half that over oceans. Cloud-top lightning optical radiance in oceanic storms is also twice as large as over land, suggesting either more energetic flashes over the oceans or less intervening cloud particles.

Boccippio, Dennis J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Land-Ocean Differences in LIS and OTD Tropical Lightning Observations

Significant differences are known to exist on a global scale between continental and oceanic total lightning regional flash rates, suggesting differences in the properties of convective storms in these regimes. Lightning properties observed by the Optical Transient Detector (OTD) and Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) over land and ocean are compared, limited to analysis over the tropics in order to simplify physical interpretation. We find that the mean flash rates of individual storms over tropical land only exceed those over ocean by a factor of 2 (far less than the observed differences in regional flash rates). However, the average nearest neighbor distance of continental thunderstorms is half that over oceans. Cloud-top lightning optical radiance in oceanic storms is also twice as large as over land, suggesting either more energetic flashes over the oceans or less intervening cloud particles.

Boccippio, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Some relationships between Secchi depth and inherent optical properties of natural waters

Relationships between the inherent and optical properties of the ocean (Gorden et al., 1975 and Preisendorfer, 1961) are combined with the Duntley-Preisendorfer equation to show the dependence of these properties on the depth at which a Secchi disk disappears from view. An expression relating the Secchi depth to the limiting contrast of the disk is derived in terms of the average beam attenuation coefficient, the average diffuse attenuation coefficient for downwelling irradiance, the albedo of the disk, and the reflectance functions at the Secchi depth and just below the surface. It is shown that combining Secchi depth observations with other optical properties yields significant information about the constituents of the medium.

Gordon, H. R.↗