Open AccessQuantifying aerosol direct radiative effect with Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer observations: Top‐of‐atmosphere albedo change by aerosols based on land surface types
Author(s) -
Chen Yang,
Li Qinbin,
Kahn Ralph A.,
Randerson James T.,
Diner David J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2008jd010754
Subject(s) - aerosol , albedo (alchemy) , radiative transfer , spectroradiometer , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer , atmosphere (unit) , single scattering albedo , cloud albedo , atmospheric radiative transfer codes , remote sensing , optical depth , satellite , meteorology , cloud cover , reflectivity , geology , physics , optics , cloud computing , art , operating system , astronomy , performance art , computer science , art history
Using internally consistent albedo, aerosol, cloud, and surface data from the Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) instrument onboard the Terra satellite, top‐of‐atmosphere (TOA) spectral albedo change ( dα ) in the presence of aerosols over land is estimated and its dependence on aerosol and surface properties is analyzed. Linear regressions between spectral TOA albedo and aerosol optical depth (AOD) for different surface types are examined to derive the aerosol‐free TOA albedo. MISR surface BiHemispherical Reflectance (BHR) values are used to differentiate surface types. We find relatively high correlations between spectral TOA albedo and AOD for BHR‐stratified data in 2° × 2° grid cells. The global mean values of cloud‐free dα over land for June–September 2007 are estimated to be 0.018 ± 0.003 (blue), 0.010 ± 0.003 (green), 0.007 ± 0.003 (red), and 0.008 ± 0.006 (near‐infrared). Individual regions show large variations from these values. Global patterns of dα are determined mainly by AOD and aerosol radiative efficiency. Large positive values of dα are observed over regions with high aerosol loading and large single‐scattering albedo, where the aerosol scattering effect is dominant. The presence of light‐absorbing aerosols reduces aerosol radiative efficiency and dα . Surface reflectance influences both aerosol scattering and absorbing effects. Generally, the aerosol radiative efficiency decreases with increasing BHR. We also examined dα ‐AOD correlations over different vegetation types. We find the smallest dα values are over needleleaf forests and shrublands, whereas the largest values are over cropland and barren regions. The aerosol radiative efficiencies are lowest over needleleaf forests and barren regions and highest over grasslands and croplands.