Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Validation of global land surface satellite (GLASS) downward shortwave radiation product in the rugged surface

  • Published:
Journal of Mountain Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The downward shortwave radiation (DSR) is an essential parameter of land surface radiation budget and many land surface models that characterize hydrological, ecological and biogeochemical processes. The new Global LAnd Surface Satellite (GLASS) DSR datasets have been generated recently using multiple satellite data in China. This study investigates the performances of direct comparison approach, which is mostly used for validation of surface insolation retrieved from satellite data over the plain area, and indirect comparison approach, which needs a fine resolution map of DSR as reference, for validation of GLASS DSR product in time-steps of 1 and 3 hours over three Chinese Ecosystem Research Network sites located in the rugged surface. Results suggest that it probably has a large uncertainty to assess GLASS DSR product using the direct comparison method between GLASS surface insolation and field measurements over complex terrain, especially at Mt. Gongga 3,000 m station with root mean square error of 279.04 and 229.06 W/m2 in time-steps of 1 and 3 hours, respectively. Further improvement for validation of GLASS DSR product in the rugged surface is suggested by generation of a fine resolution map of surface insolation and comparison of the aggregated fine resolution map with GLASS product in the rugged surface. The validation experience demonstrates that the GLASS DSR algorithm is satisfactory with determination coefficient of 0.83 and root mean square error of 81.91W/m2 over three Chinese Ecosystem Research Network sites, although GLASS product overestimates DSR compared to the aggregated fine resolution map of surface insolation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Annear RL, Wells SA (2007) A comparison of five models for estimating clear-sky solar radiation. Water Resource Research 43(W10415): 1–15. DOI:10.1029/2006WR005055

    Google Scholar 

  • Bird RE, Hulstrom RL (1981) A simplified clear sky model for direct and diffuse insolation on horizontal surfaces. SERI Report TR-642-761. Golden, USA.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Chen FB, Gao SH (1993) Studies on the alpine ecology and environment of Gongga Mountain. Chengdu University of Science and Technology Press. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng GW, Wang GX (2010). The Site-specific observation and Research datasets of Chinese Ecosystem — Volume of Forest Ecosystem (Mt. Gongga Station in Sichuan Province). China Agriculture Press, Beijing. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao BC, Kaufman YJ (2003) Water vapor retrievals using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) near-infrared channels. Journal of Geophysical Research, 108(D13): 4389. DOI:10.1029/2002JD003023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gui S, Liang S, Wang K, et al. (2010) Assessment of three satellite-estimated land surface downwelling shortwave irradiance data sets. IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters 7(4): 776–780. DOI:10.1109/LGRS.2010.2048196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He L, Qin Q, Liu M, et al. (2012) Validation of GLASS albedo products using ground measurements and Landsat TM data. IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Munich, Germany, 22-27 July 2012. DOI: 10.1109/IGARSS.2012.6351353

    Google Scholar 

  • Houborg R, Soegaard H, Boegh E (2007) Combining vegetation index and model inversion methods for the extraction of key vegetation biophysical parameters using Terra and Aqua MODIS reflectance data. Remote Sensing of Environment 106(1): 39–58. DOI:10.1016/j.rse.2006.07.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Journee M, Bertrand C (2010) Improving the spatio-temporal distribution of surface solar radiation data by merging ground and satellite measurements. Remote Sensing of Environment 114(11): 2692–2704. DOI:10.1016/j.rse.2010.06.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman YJ, Wald AE, Remer LA, et al. (1997) The MODIS 2.1-μm channel-correlation with visible reflectance for use in remote sensing of aerosol. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 35: 1286–1296. DOI: 10.1109/36.628795

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim HY, Liang S (2010) Development of a hybrid method for estimating land surface shortwave net radiation from MODIS data. Remote Sensing of Environment 114(11): 2393–2402. DOI:10.1016/j.rse.2010.05.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laszlo IP, Ciren H, Liu S, et al. (2008) Remote sensing of aerosol and radiation from geostationary satellites. Advances in Space Research 41(11): 1882–1893. DOI:10.1016/j.asr.2007. 06.047

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang S (2000) Narrowband to broadband conversions of land surface albedo I Algorithms. Remote Sensing of Environment 76: 213–238. DOI: 10.1016/S0034-4257(00)00205-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang S, Wang K, Zhang X, et al. (2010) Review on estimation of land surface radiation and energy budgets from ground measurement, remote sensing and model simulations. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sesning 3(3): 225–240. DOI: 10.1109/JSTARS.2010.2048556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liao Y, Gai Y, Fan W, et al. (2012) Validation methods of LAI products based on scaling effect. IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Munich, Germany, 22–27 July 2012. DOI: 10.1109/IGARSS.2012.6351200

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu ZG (1985) Vegetation of Gongga Mountain. Sichuan Science and Technology Press. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu N, Liu R, Liu J, et al. (2010) An algorithm for estimating downward shortwave radiation from GMS5 visible imagery and its evaluation over China. Journal of Geophysical Research 115(D18102): 1–15. DOI:10.1029/2009JD013457

    Google Scholar 

  • Masek JG, Vermote EF, Saleous NE, et al. (2006) A Landsat surface reflectance dataset for North America, 1990-2000. IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters 3(1): 68–72. DOI:10.1109/LGRS.2005.857030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qin H, Kawai Y, Kawamura H (2006) Comparison of downward surface solar radiation derived from GMS5/VISSR and of reanalysis products. Journal of Oceanography 62: 577–586. DOI: 10.1002/jgrd.50353

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qin J, Chen Z, Yang K, et al. (2011) Estimation of monthly mean daily global solar radiation based on MODIS and TRMM products. Applied Energy 88: 2480–2489. DOI:10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.01.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raschke E, Bakan S, Kinne S (2006) An assessment of radiation budget data provided by the ISCCP and GEWEX-SRB. Geophysical Research Letters 33(L07812): 1–5. DOI:10.1029/2005GL025503

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryu Y, Kang S, Moon SK, et al. (2008) Evaluation of land surface radiation balance derived from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) over complex terrain and heterogeneous landscape on clear sky days. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 148(10): 1538–1552. DOI:10.1016/j.agrformet.2008.05.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savtchenko A, Ouzounov D, Ahmad S, et al. (2004) Terra and Aqua MODIS products available from NASA GES DAAC. Advances in Space Research 34(4): 710–714. DOI:10.1016/j.asr.2004.03.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scientific Committee of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (2007) Protocols for standard atmosphere environmental observation and measurement in terrestrial ecosystems. China Environmental Science Press, Beijing. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Shen ZH, Fang JY, Liu ZL, et al. (2001) Patterns of biodiversity along the vertical vegetation spectrum of the east aspect of Gongga mountain. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica 25(6): 721–732. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuhlman RM, Rieland M, Raschke E (1990) An improvement of the IGMK model to derive total and diffuse solar radiation at the surface from satellite data. Journal of Applied Meteorology 29: 586–603. DOI: 10.1175/1520-0450(1990)029〈0586:AIOTIM〉2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang B, Li ZL, Zhang R (2006) A direct method for estimating net surface shortwave radiation from MODIS data. Remote Sensing of Environment 103(1): 115–126. DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2006.04.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trnka M, Zalud Z, Eitzinger J, et al. (2005) Global solar radiation in Central European lowlands estimated by various empirical formulae. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 131: 54–76. DOI:10.1016/j.agrformet.2005.05.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vermote EF, Elsaleous N, Justice C (2002). Atmospheric correction of the MODIS data in the visible to middle infrared: first results. Remote Sensing of Environment 83: 97–111. DOI: 10.1016/S0034-4257(02)00089-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wali MK, Evrendilek F, West T, et al. (1999) Assessing terrestrial ecosystem sustainability: usefulness of regional carbon and nitrogen models. Natural and Resource 35(4): 20–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang K, Zhou X, Liu J (2004) The effects of complex terrain on the computed surface solar shortwave radiation. Chinese Journal of Atmospheric Sciences 28(4): 625–633. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wielicki BA, Barkstrom BR, Harrison E F, et al. (1996) Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES): an Earth observing system experiment. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 77(5): 853–868. DOI: 10.1175/1520-0477(1996)077<0853:CATERE>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang K, He J, Tang W, et al. (2010) On downward shortwave and longwave radiations over high altitude regions: Observation and modeling in the Tibetan Plateau. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 150(1): 38–46. DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2009.08.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang XT (2010) Estimation of land surface incident solar radiation and photosynthetically active radiation. PhD Dissertation of Wuhan University, Wuhan. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Rossow WB, Stackhouse PW. (2006) Comparison of different global information sources used in surface radiative flux calculation: Radiative properties of the surface. Journal of Geophysical Research 112(D01102): 1–20. DOI:10.1029/2005JD007008

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhong XH, Zhang WJ, Luo J (1999) The characteristics of the mountain ecosystem and environment in the Gongga Mountain region. Ambio 28: 648–654. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu B, Gao M (2010) The Site-specific observation and Research datasets of Chinese Ecosystem — Volume of Agricultural Ecosystem (Yanting Station in Sichuan Province). China Agriculture Press, Beijing. (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Hua-an Jin, Ai-nong Li, Jin-hu Bian & Zheng-jian Zhang

  2. Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    Cheng-quan Huang & Meng-xue Li

Authors
  1. Hua-an Jin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ai-nong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jin-hu Bian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zheng-jian Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Cheng-quan Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Meng-xue Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ai-nong Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jin, Ha., Li, An., Bian, Jh. et al. Validation of global land surface satellite (GLASS) downward shortwave radiation product in the rugged surface. J. Mt. Sci. 10, 812–823 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-013-2543-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-013-2543-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation