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Many models used to represent the boundary condition for the separation of atmospheric scattering from the surface reflection in polarized remote sensing measurements, assuming that the polarized surface reflectance is spectrally neutral. To test this hypothesis, referred to the spectral invariance hypothesis, JPL’s Ground-based Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (GroundMSPI) was used to measure the polarized bidirectional reflectance factors (pBRFs) of different types of outdoor surfaces. GroundMSPI measures the linear polarization Stokes parameters ($I$ , $Q$ , and $U$) at three wavebands centered at 470, 660, and 865 nm. Images of pBRF were acquired at the three wavelengths and the best-fitting slopes of pairwise spectral regressions were determined. The spectral invariance hypothesis predicts that these slopes should be unity. All region types, excluding grass, meet this criterion within 8% for all three wavelengths. Grass measurements show a large mean deviation of 31.1% from the expected slope when regressing 865-nm data against other wavelengths due to the differences in the spectral absorbance of chlorophyll. Angle of linear polarization (AoLP) analysis of cotton crops is presented as a method to isolate cases where the scattered light is dominated by single reflection within the plants from cases where multiple scattering plays a larger role. Spectral invariance is observed in those cases where specular reflection from the top surfaces of the leaves is primarily responsible for the measured polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Operational retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) data have been shown to have a high bias in pristine oceanic areas. One line of evidence involves comparison with Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) observations, including the areas of low aerosol loading close to Antarctica. In this paper, a principal reason for the AOD overestimation is identified, which is stray light measured by the MISR cameras in dark regions of high-contrast scenes. A small fraction of the light from surrounding bright areas, such as clouds or sea ice, is redistributed to dark areas, artificially increasing their brightness. Internal reflections and light scattering from optical elements in MISR's pushbroom cameras contribute to this veiling light effect. A simple correction model is developed that relies on the average scene brightness and an empirically determined set of veiling light coefficients for each MISR camera and wavelength. Several independent methods are employed to determine these coefficients. Three sets of coefficients are further implemented and tested in prototype MISR 4.4-km AOD retrievals. The results show dramatic improvements in retrieved AODs compared against MAN observations and the currently operational V22 MISR retrievals. For the best performing set of coefficients, the bias is reduced by 51%, from 0.039 to 0.019, the RMSE is lowered by 19%, from 0.062 to 0.050, and 84% of retrievals fall within the uncertainty envelope compared with 66% of retrievals in V22. The best performing set will be implemented operationally in the next V23 MISR AOD product release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth-observing satellites provide global observations of many geophysical variables. As these variables are derived from measured radiances, the underlying radiance data are the most reliable sources of information for change detection. Here, we identify statistically significant trends in the color and spatial texture of the Earth as viewed from multiple directions from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), which has been sampling the angular distribution of scattered sunlight since 2000. Globally, our results show that the Earth has been appearing relatively bluer (up to 1.6% per decade from both nadir and oblique views) and smoother (up to 1.5% per decade only from oblique views) over the past 15 years. The magnitude of the global blueing trends is comparable to that of uncertainties in radiometric calibration stability. Regional shifts in color and texture, which are significantly larger than global means, are observed, particularly over polar regions, along the boundaries of the subtropical highs, the tropical western Pacific, Southwestern Asia, and Australia. We demonstrate that the large regional trends cannot be explained either by uncertainties in radiometric calibration or variability in total or spectral solar irradiance; hence, they reflect changes internal to the Earth's climate system. The 15-year-mean true color composites and texture images of the Earth at both nadir and oblique views are also presented for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) aerosol product attributes are described, including geometry and algorithm performance flags. Actual retrieval coverage is mapped and explained in detail using representative global monthly data. Statistical comparisons are made with coincident aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Angstrom exponent (ANG) retrieval results from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument. The relationship between these results and the ones previously obtained for MISR and MODIS individually, based on comparisons with coincident ground-truth observations, is established. For the data examined, MISR and MODIS each obtain successful aerosol retrievals about 15% of the time, and coincident MISR-MODIS aerosol retrievals are obtained for about 6%-7% of the total overlap region. Cloud avoidance, glint and oblique-Sun exclusions, and other algorithm physical limitations account for these results. For both MISR and MODIS, successful retrievals are obtained for over 75% of locations where attempts are made. Where coincident AOD retrievals are obtained over ocean, the MISR-MODIS correlation coefficient is about 0.9; over land, the correlation coefficient is about 0.7. Differences are traced to specific known algorithm issues or conditions. Over-ocean ANG comparisons yield a correlation of 0.67, showing consistency in distinguishing aerosol air masses dominated by coarse-mode versus fine-mode particles. Sampling considerations imply that care must be taken when assessing monthly global aerosol direct radiative forcing and AOD trends with these products, but they can be used directly for many other applications, such as regional AOD gradient and aerosol air mass type mapping and aerosol transport model validation. Users are urged to take seriously the published product data-quality statements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a validation case study of Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) surface products where its bidirectional reflectance (BRF) measurements during the Southern Africa Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000) campaign are compared with those coincidently evaluated on the ground and from the air, using the Portable Apparatus for Rapid Acquisition of Bidirectional Observations of Land and Atmosphere (PARABOLA) and Cloud Absorption Radiometer observations, respectively. The presence of haze and smoke during the campaign provided a case study to evaluate the effect of atmospheric correction on MISR surface products. Two surface types were considered in the analyses: the bright desert-like surface of the Pan and the dark grassland that surrounds it. The results show that for the dark surface the BRF values retrieved from MISR are in good agreement, within 5%, with those obtained from field data. For the bright desert-like pan surface, better agreement, within ∼10%, was found in all channels on the clear day hut only in the forward scattering on the hazy day. A comparison of MISR aerosol retrievals to those obtained from three independent ground measurements suggests that, in the presence of a highly reflective surface, small uncertainties in the MISR aerosol retrievals become magnified at larger optical depths, causing errors in the surface BRF retrievals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the derivation of the regional aerosol retrieval from Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR). Operation of the MISR; Implementation of the algorithm modifications; Variation of aerosol retrieval.

Examines the performance of the Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra spacecraft by National Aeronautics & Space Administration. Debut of the system; Design of the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiameter (MISR) system; Specifications of the system.

Parts II. Examines the implementation of the physical and the mathematical approach to design an algorithms for the Multi-angle Imaging SpectropRadiometer (MISR) instrument. Derivation of reflectance data; Anisotropic behavior of terrestrial surfaces in relation to solar radiation; Design of MISR vegetation activity and structure algorithms.

Part I. Examines the uniqueness of Multiangular measurements. Availability of quasi-simultaneous multispectral and multidirectional measurements from space; Anisotropy of solar wavelength; Shape of the anisotropy function.

Examines the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) stereoscopic Image matchers. Debut of the instrument; Development of an algorithm for MISR; Correction to the disparities used to measure cloud-top heights.

Examines the validity of the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) radiometric scale. Components of the instrument; Function of an on-board calibrator; Validation of radiometric scale.

Focuses on the development of the airborne multi-angle imaging spectroRadiometer (AirMISR) instrument. Why this instrument was developed; Fabrication of the AirMISR camera; What the primary mission of AirMISR includes.

Focuses on the global observations of the earth's surface at 1.1 -kilometers spatial resolution through the launched multi-angle imaging spectroRadiometer (MISR) in 1998. Description of the algorithms retrieving surface directional reflectances, albedos, and selected biophysical parameters; How the core surface retrieval algorithms are tested; Performance of the surface retrievals.

Describes three algorithms which will be implemented to retrieve aerosol properties globally with the use of multi-angle imaging spectroRadiometer (MISR) data. How these retrieval algorithms are tested; What these algorithms relies on; Basis of the retrieval strategy.

Focuses on the schedule launching of the multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) instrument aboard the first of the earth observing system (EOS) spacecraft, EOS-AM1. What MISR will provide; Delivery of the MISR instrument; Purpose of designing the MISR measurements.