Project Funding: 2011 - 2014

NRA: 2009 NASA: The Science of Terra and Aqua   

Funded by NASA

Abstract:
The stated goal of NASA's Earth Science Research Program is to utilize global measurements to understand the Earth system and its interactions as steps toward the prediction of Earth system behavior. NASA has identified the provision of well-calibrated, multi-year and multi-satellite data and product series as a key requirement for meeting this goal. The main objectives of this study are to validate the mid and thermal infrared data and product series from ASTER and MODIS and refine the ASTER surface radiance product. In order to validate these data and product series we have developed a set of automated validation sites that make all the necessary validation measurements on a near continuous basis (every 2 mins). Measurements include skin (radiometric) temperature and bulk (contact) temperature together with the standard meteorological variables: wind speed, wind direction, net radiation, air temperature and relative humidity. The approach of near continuous measurements represents a shift from the more typical approach of discrete validation campaigns and with the extension of this work will provide a continuous validation record for the entire length of the EOS mission. The existing data have been used to validate the accuracy of the mid and thermal infrared at-sensor radiance measured by MODIS-Terra, MODIS-Aqua and ASTER as well as the surface radiance, temperature and emissivity products derived from the measured radiance. Various instrument artifacts have been identified and corrected thereby ensuring the data can potentially be used as Earth System Data Records (ESDRs) defined by NASA as a unified and coherent set of observations of a given parameter of the Earth system. We will continue our validation activities and enhance them with additional sites focused on improving the validation of emissivity products. We will continue to maintain the algorithm for the ASTER surface radiance product (AST09T) as part of this activity. Maintenance involves continued assessment of the product inputs, modification of the code to compensate for changes in instrument behavior and upgrading the underlying radiative transfer code. This work is proposed to be conducted as Fundamental Research.

Publications:

Hulley, G. C., Hughes, C. G., Hook, S. J. 2012. Quantifying uncertainties in land surface temperature and emissivity retrievals from ASTER and MODIS thermal infrared data. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. 117(D23). DOI: 10.1029/2012JD018506

2015 NASA Carbon Cycle & Ecosystems Joint Science Workshop Poster(s)

• HyspIRI, HyTES and ECOSTRESS   --   (Simon J. Hook, William R. Johnson, Pierre C. Guellivic)   [abstract]

2013 NASA Terrestrial Ecology Science Team Meeting Poster(s)

• Land Surface Temperature and Emissivity (LST&E) products and their uncertainties   --   (Glynn C. Hulley, Simon J. Hook)   [abstract]

2011 NASA Carbon Cycle & Ecosystems Joint Science Workshop Poster(s)

• The North American ASTER Land Surface Emissivity Database v3.0   --   (Glynn C. Hulley, Simon J. Hook)   [abstract]
• Activities of the CEOS Land Product Validation (LPV) Sub­group   --   (Joanne Michelle Nightingale, Jaime Nickeson, Gabriela Schaepman-Strub)   [abstract]
• Validation of Mid and Thermal Infrared Remotely Sensed Data In-Flight Using Automated Validation Sites at Lake Tahoe CA/NV, USA and Salton Sea CA, USA   --   (Simon J. Hook)   [abstract]

More details may be found in the following project profile(s):

• NASA Terrestrial Ecology (TE) Project Profile