Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Advances in Land Remote Sensing pp 219–243Cite as

Retrieval of Surface Albedo from Satellite Sensors

  • Chapter

Observations from a number of polar-orbiting and geostationary satellite sensors are now being used to produce operational land surface albedo products for range of modeling applications. The MODIS, MISR and Meteosat algorithms are presented as examples of the current strategies being employed to best exploit multi-day sequential, multi-angular instantaneous, and multi-temporal observations and accurately specify the reflective qualities of the underlying surface. While these retrievals represent a major advance in the remote sensing of the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the surface, issues such as atmospheric correction, directional-tohemispherical conversion, and spectral interpolation remain to confound the satellite signal and introduce uncertainties and variability within and between products. Nevertheless, the potential of using multiple products and fusing recent observations with remotely sensed historical data must be explored as a realistic way to meet the needs of the modeling community.

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

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   229.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Barlage M, Zeng X, Mitchell K, Wei H (2005) A global 0.05-deg maximum albedo dataset of snow-covered land based on MODIS observations. Geophys. Res. Lett. 32, doi:10.1029/2005GL022881

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnsley MJ, Strahler AH, Morris KP, Muller J-P (1994) Sampling the surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), 1, evaluation of current and future satellite sensors. Remote Sens. Rev. 8:271–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Berk A, Bernstein LS, Anderson GP, Acharya PK, Robertson DC, Chetwynd JH, Adler-Golden SM (1998) MODTRAN cloud and multiple scattering upgrades with application to AVIRIS. Remote Sens. Environ. 65:367–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bicheron P, Leroy M (2000) Bidirectional reflectance distribution function signatures of major biomes observed from space. J. Geophys. Res. 105:26669–26681

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonan GB, et al. (2002) The land surface climatology of the NCAR community land model coupled to the NCAR community ClimateModel. J. Clim. 15:3123–3149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bréon FM, Maignan F, Leroy M, Grant I (2002) Analysis of hot spot directional signatures measured from space. J. Geophys. Res. 107(16):4282–4296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collins JB, Woodcock CE (2000) Geostatistical methods for analysis of multiscale variation in spatial data. Geographical Analysis 32(1):50–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Csiszar, I, Gutman, G (1999) Mapping global land surface albedo from NOAA/AVHRR. J. Geophys. Res. 104:6215–6228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • d’Entremont R, Schaaf CB, Lucht W, Strahler A (1999) Retrieval of red spectral albedo and bidirectional reflectance using AVHRR HRPT and GOES satellite observations of New England. J. Geophys. Res. 104:6229–6239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson RE (1983) Land surface processes and climate-surface albedos and energy balance. Adv. Geophys. 25:305–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson RE (1995) Land processes in climate models. Remote Sens. Environ. 51:27–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diner DJ, Beckert JC, Reilly TH, Bruegge CJ, Conel JE, Kahn RA, Martonchik JV, Ackerman TP, Davies R, Gerstl SAW, Gordon HR, Muller J-P, Myneni RB, Sellers PJ, Pinty B, Verstraete MM (1998) Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument description and experiment overview. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sen. 36:1072–1087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diner DJ, Abdou WA, Bruegge CJ, Conel JE, Crean KA, Gaitley BJ, Helmlinger MC, Kahn RA, Martonchik JV, Pilorz SH, Holben BN (2001) MISR aerosol optical depth retrievals over southern Africa during the SAFARI-2000 dry season campaign. Geophys. Res. Lett. 28:3127–3130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Engelsen O, Pinty B, Verstraete M M, Martonchik JV (1996) Parameteric bidirectional reflectance fractor models: evaluation, improvements, and applications. Technical Report EUR 16426 EN. EC Joint Research Centre

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedl MA, McIver DK, Hodges JCF, Zhang X, Muchoney D, Strahler AH, Woodcock CE, Gopal S, Schnieder A, Cooper A, Baccini A, Gao F, Schaaf C (2002) Global land cover from MODIS: algorithms and early results. Remote Sens. Environ. 83:287–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao F, Schaaf C, Strahler AH, Lucht W (2001) Using a multi-kernel least variance approach to retrieve and evaluate albedo from limited BRDF observations. Remote Sens. Environ. 76:57–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao F, Schaaf C, Strahler A, Roesch A, Lucht W, Dickinson R (2005) The MODIS BRDF/Albedo Climate Modeling Grid Products and the variability of albedo for major global vegetation types. J. Geophys. Res. 110: D01104, doi:10.1029/2004JD00519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govaerts Y (1999) Correction of the Meteosat-5 and -6 VIS vand relative spectral response with Meteosat-7 characteristics. Int. J. Remote Sens. 20:3677–3682

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govaerts Y, Clerici M, Clerbaux N (2004) Operational calibration of the Meteosat radiometer VIS band. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 43:31900–31914

    Google Scholar 

  • Govaerts Y, Lattanzio A, Pinty B, Schmertz J (2004) Consistent surface albedo retrieved from two adjacent geostationary satellite. Geophys. Res. Lett. 31:L15201,doi:10.1029/2004GL020418 03

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govaerts Y, Pinty B, Taberner M, Lattanzio A (2006) Spectral conversion of surface albedo derived from Meteosat first generation observations. IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Lett. 3:23–27, doi:10.1109/LGRS.2005.854202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson-Sellers A, Wilson MF (1983) Surface albedo data for climatic modeling. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 21:1743–1778

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holben BN, Eck TF, Slutsker I, Tanre D, Buis JB, Setzer A, Vermote E, Reagan JA, Kaufman YJ, Nakajima T, Lavenu F, Jankowiak I, Smirnov A (1998) AERONET - A federated instrument network and data archive for aerosol characterization. Remote Sens. Environ. 66:1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hautecoeur O, Leroy MM (1998) Surface bi-directional reflectance distribution function observed at global scale by POLDER/ADEOS. Geophys. Res. Lett. 22:4197–4200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin Y, Schaaf CB, Woodcock CE, Gao F, Li X, Strahler AH, Lucht W, Liang S (2003a) Consistency of MODIS surface BRDF/Albedo retrievals: 1. Algorithm performance. J. Geophys. Res. 108 (D5):4158, doi:10.1029/2002JD002803

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin Y, Schaaf CB, Woodcock CE, Gao F, Li X, Strahler AH, Lucht W, Liang S (2003b) Consistency of MODIS surface BRDF/Albedo retrievals: 2. Validation. J. Geophys. Res. 108(D5):4159, doi:10.1029/2002JD002804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knorr W, Schnitzler KG, Govaerts Y (2001) The role of bright desert regions in shaping North African climate. Geophys. Res. Let. 28:3489–3492

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lattanzio A, Govaerts Y, Pinty B (2006) Consistency of surface anisotropy characterization with Meteosate observations. Adv. Space Res. doi:10.1016/j.asr.2006.02.049

    Google Scholar 

  • Leroy M, Deuze JL, Breon FM, Hautecoeur O, Herman M, Buriez JC, Tanre D, Bouffies S, Chazette P, Roujean J-L (1997) Retrieval of atmospheric properties and surface bidirectional reflectances over land from POLDER/ADEOS. J. Geophys. Res. 102:17023–17037

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Strahler AH (1992) Geometric-optical bidirectional reflectance modeling of the discrete crown vegetation canopy: effect of crown shape and mutual shadowing. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 30:276–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Z, Garand L (1994) Estimation of surface albedo from space: a parameterization for global application. J. Geophys. Res. 99:8335–8350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang S (2000) Narrowband to broadband conversions of land surface albedo I: algorithms. Remote Sens. Environ. 76:213–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang S, Strahler AH, Walthall CW (1999) Retrieval of land surface albedo from satellite observations: a simulation study. J. Appl. Meteorol. 38:712–725

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucht W, Schaaf CB, Strahler AH (2000) An algorithm for the retrieval of albedo from space using semiempirical BRDF models. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 38:977–998

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maignan F, Br éon FM, Lacaze R (2004) Bidirectional reflectance of Earth targets: evaluation of analytical models using a large set of spaceborne measurements with emphasis with the hot spot. Remote Sens. Environ. 90:210–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martonchik JV (1997) Determination of aerosol optical depth and land surface directional reflectances using multi-angle imagery. J. Geophys. Res., 102:17015–17022.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martonchik JV, Diner DJ, Kahn RA, Ackerman TP, Verstraete MM, Pinty B, Gordon HR (1998a) Techniques for the retrieval of aerosol properties over land and ocean using multiangleimaging. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 36:1212–1227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martonchik JV, Diner DJ, Pinty B, Verstraete MM, Myneni RB, Knyazikhin Y, Gordon HR (1998b) Determination of land and ocean reflective, radiative, and biophysical properties using multi-angle imaging. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 36:1266–1281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martonchik JV, Diner DJ, Crean KA, Bull M (2002a) Regional aerosol retrieval results from MISR. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 40:1520–1531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martonchik JV, Pinty B, Verstraete MM (2002b) Note on an improved model of surface BRDF-atmospheric coupled radiation. IEEE. Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 40:1637–1639

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moody EG, King MD, Platnick S, Schaaf CB, Gao F (2005) Spatially complete global spectral surface albedos: value-added datasets derived from Terra MODIS land products. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 43:144–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myhre G, Kvalevag MM, Schaaf CB (2005a) Radiative forcing due to anthropogenic vegetation change based on MODIS surface albedo data set. Geophys. Res. Lett. 32:L21410, doi:10.1029/2005GL024004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myhre G, Govaerts Y, Haywood JM, Berntsen TK, Lattanzio A (2005b) Radiative effect of surface albedo change from biomass burning. Geophys. Res. Lett. 32:L20812, doi:10.1029/2005GL022897

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oleson KW, Bonan GB, Schaaf C, Gao F, Jin Y, Strahler A (2003) Assessment of global climate model land surface albedo using MODIS data. Geophys. Res. Lett. 30(8):1443, doi:10.1029/2002GL016749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedelty J, Devadiga S, Masuoka E, Brown M, Pinzon J, Tucker C, Vermote E, Prince S, Nagol J, Justice C, Roy D, Ju J, Schaaf C, Liu J, Privette J, Pinheiro, A (2007) Generating a Long-term Land Data Record from the AVHRR and MODIS Instruments, Proceedings, IEEE International Geosciences and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS07), Barcelona, Spain, 23-27 July, 2007

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinty B, Roveda F, Verstraete MM, Gobron N, Govaerts Y, Martonchik J, Diner D, Kahn R (2000a) Surface albedo retrieval from METEOSAT - Part 1: theory. J. Geophys. Res. 105:18099–18112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinty B, Roveda F, Verstraete MM, Gobron N, Govaerts Y, Martonchik J, Diner D, Kahn R (2000b) Surface albedo retrieval from METEOSAT - Part 2. Appl. J. Geophys. Res. 105:18113–18134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinty B, Verstraete MM, Gobron N, Roveda F, Govaerts Y (2000c) Do manmade fires affect the Earth’s surface reflectance at continental scales. Eos Trans. American Geophys. Union 81:388–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinty B, Taberner M, Liang S, Govaerts Y, Martonchik JV, Lattanzio A, Schaaf CB, Verstraete MM, Dickinson RE, Gobron N, Widlowski J-L (2004) Intercomparison of surface albedo products from various spaceborne sensors. In: Proc. of the Workshop on Inter-Comparison of Large Scale Optical and Infrared Sensors, ESA ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 12–14 October 2004. ESA ESTEC

    Google Scholar 

  • Privette JL, Eck TF, Deering DW (1997) Estimating spectral albedo and nadir reflectance through inversion of simple BRDF models with AVHRR/MODIS-like data. J. Geophys. Res. 102:29529–29542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman H, Pinty B, Verstraete MM (1993) Coupled surface-atmosphere reflectance (CSAR) model - 2: semiempirical surface model usable with NOAA advanced very high resolution radiometer data. J. Geophys. Res. 98:20791–20801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roesch A, Schaaf C, Gao F (2004) Use of Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer bidirectional reflectance distribution function products to enhance simulated surface albedos. J. Geophys. Res. 109(D12), doi:10.1029/2004JD004552

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross JK (1981) The Radiation Regime and Architecture of Plant Stands, Junk W (ed), Norwell, MA: Artech House, p. 392

    Google Scholar 

  • Roujean J-L, Leroy M, Deschamps PY (1992) A bidirectional reflectance model of the Earth’s surface for the correction of remote sensing data. J. Geophys. Res. 97:20455–20468

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomon J, Schaaf CB, Strahler AH, Gao F, Jin Y (2006) Validation of the MODIS Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function and albedo retrievals using combined observations from the aqua and terra platforms. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 44:No. 6

    Google Scholar 

  • Sellers PJ, Los SO, Tucker CJ, Justice CO, Dazlich DA, Collatz CJ, Randall DA (1996) A revised land surface parameterization (SiB2) for atmospheric GCMs, part II, the generation of global fields of terrestrial biospheric parameters from satellite data. J. Clim. 9:706–737

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaaf CB, Gao F, Strahler AH, Lucht W, Li X, Tsang T, Strugnell NC, Zhang X, Jin Y, Muller J-P, Lewis P, Barnsley M, Hobson P, Disney M, Roberts G, Dunderdale M, Doll C, d’Entremont R, Hu B, Liang S, Privette JL (2002) First operational BRDF, Albedo and Nadir Reflectance Products from MODIS. Remote Sens. Environ. 83:135–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strugnell N, Lucht W (2001) An algorithm to infer continental-scale albedo from AVHRR data, land cover class and field observations of typical BRDFs. J. Climate 14:1360–1376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strugnell N, Lucht W, Schaaf C (2001) A global albedo data set derived from AVHRR data for use in climate simulations. Geophys. Res. Lett. 28:191–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tian Y, Dickinson RE, Zhou L, Myneni RB, Friedl M, Schaaf CB, Carroll M, Gao F (2004) Land boundary conditions from MODIS data and consequences for the albedo of a climate model. Geophys. Res. Lett. 31, doi:10.1029/2003GL019104

    Google Scholar 

  • Vermote EF, Tanre D, Deuze JL, Herman M, Morcrette JJ (1997) Second simulation of the satellite signal in the solar spectrum: an overview. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 35:675–686

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walthall CL, Norman JM, Welles JM, Campbell G, Blad BL (1985) Simple equation to approximate the bidirectional reflectance from vegetation canopies and bare soil surfaces. Appl. Opt. 24:383–387

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wanner W, Li X, Strahler AH (1995) On the derivation of kernels for kernel-driven models of bidirectional reflectance. J. Geophys. Res. 100:21077–21090

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wanner W, Strahler AH, Hu B, Lewis P, Muller J-P, Li X, Barker Schaaf CL, Barnsley MJ (1997) Global retrieval of bidirectional reflectance and albedo over land from EOS MODIS and MISR data: theory and algorithm. J. Geophys. Res. 102:17143–17162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodcock CE, Harward VJ (1992) Nested-Hierarchical Scene Models and image segmentation. Int. J. Remote Sens. 13(16):3167–3187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Friedl MA, Schaaf CB, Strahler AH, Hodges JCF, Gao F, Reed BC, Huete A (2003) Monitoring vegetation phenology using MODIS. Remote Sens. Environ. 84:471–475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou L, Dickinson RE, Tian Y, Zeng X, Dai Y, Yang Z-L, Schaaf CB, Gao F, Jin Y, Strahler A, Myneni RB, Yu H, Wu W, Shaikh M (2003) Comparison of seasonal and spatial variations of albedos from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Common Land Model. J. Geophys. Res. 108(D15):4488, doi:10.1029/2002JD003326

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Environment, Boston University, 02215, Boston, MA, USA

    Crystal Schaaf, Jicheng Liu & Alan Strahler

  2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 91109, Pasadena, CA, USA

    John Martonchik

  3. Global Environment Monitoring Unit, EC Joint Research Centre, I-21020, Ispra, Italy

    Bernard Pinty & Malcolm Taberner

  4. EUMETSAT, D-64295, Darmstadt, Germany

    Yves Govaerts

  5. Earth Resources Technology, Inc., 20794, Jessup, MD, USA

    Feng Gao

  6. Makalumedia gmbh, 64296, Darmstadt, Germany

    Alessio Lattanzio

Authors
  1. Crystal Schaaf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John Martonchik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bernard Pinty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yves Govaerts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Feng Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Alessio Lattanzio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Jicheng Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Alan Strahler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Malcolm Taberner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Shunlin Liang

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Schaaf, C. et al. (2008). Retrieval of Surface Albedo from Satellite Sensors. In: Liang, S. (eds) Advances in Land Remote Sensing. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6450-0_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation