Open AccessRemote sensing of aerosols over land surfaces including polarization measurements and application to POLDER measurements
Author(s) -
Herman M.,
Deuzé J. L.,
Devaux C.,
Goloub P.,
Bréon F. M.,
Tanré D.
Publication year - 1997
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 - 10.1029/96jd02109
Subject(s) - skylight , remote sensing , polarization (electrochemistry) , environmental science , scattering , diffuse sky radiation , land cover , aerosol , reflection (computer programming) , atmospheric optics , optics , atmospheric sciences , geology , meteorology , physics , land use , geography , chemistry , civil engineering , archaeology , engineering , computer science , programming language
Ground‐based measurements of the diffuse skylight and airborne measurements of the light reflected by land surfaces are examined, especially with regard to their polarization properties. The reported land surface reflections correspond to multidirectional polarized measurements performed by the Polarization and Directionality of Earth Reflectances (POLDER) airborne version on very clear days. These observations are analyzed for retrieving the polarization properties of scattering by terrestrial aerosols and reflection by ground targets, respectively. The results suggest that the polarized light is much more sensitive to atmospheric scattering than to reflection by natural surfaces, especially by vegetative cover. Theoretical modeling supports this hypothesis. Finally, application of these results to aerosol remote sensing over land surfaces from POLDER measurements is discussed.