Steven M. Adler-Golden

MODTRAN Cloud and Multiple Scattering Upgrades with Application to AVIRIS

Abstract Recent upgrades to the MODTRAN atmospheric radiation code improve the accuracy of its radiance predictions, especially in the presence of clouds and thick aerosols, and for multiple scattering in regions of strong molecular line absorption. The current public-released version of MODTRAN (MODTRAN3.7) features a generalized specification of cloud properties, while the current research version of MODTRAN (MODTRAN4) implements a correlated-k (CK) approach for more accurate calculation of multiply scattered radiance. Comparisons to cloud measurements demonstrate the viability of the CK approach. The impact of these upgrades on predictions for AVIRIS viewing scenarios is discussed for both clear and clouded skies; the CK approach provides refined predictions for AVIRIS nadir and near-nadir viewing.

Critical Survey of Data on the Spectroscopy and Kinetics of Ozone in the Mesosphere and Thermosphere

Spectroscopic data and reaction rate coefficients pertinent to ozone in the mesosphere and thermosphere (altitude >50 km) are critically surveyed. These data should be of use in modeling atmospheric infrared luminescence, measuring atmospheric ozone concentrations by remote sensing, and designing and interpreting laboratory measurements. There is a clear need for additional data on metastable ozone electronic states, additional atmospheric ozone formation channels, collision processes involving electrons and ions, and vibrational state dependence of reaction rate coefficients.

Atmospheric correction of spectral imagery: evaluation of the FLAASH algorithm with AVIRIS data

With its combination of good spatial and spectral resolution, visible to near infrared spectral imaging from aircraft or spacecraft is a highly valuable technology for remote sensing of the Earths surface. Typically it is desirable to eliminate atmospheric effects on the imagery, a process known as atmospheric correction. We review the basic methodology of first-principles atmospheric correction and present results from the latest version of the FLAASH (fast line-of-sight atmospheric analysis of spectral hypercubes) algorithm. We show some comparisons of ground truth spectra with FLAASH-processed AVIRIS (airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer) data, including results obtained using different processing options, and with results from the ACORN (atmospheric correction now) algorithm that derive from an older MODTRAN4 spectral database.

MODTRAN4: radiative transfer modeling for remote sensing

MODTRAN4, the newly released version of the U.S. Air Force atmospheric transmission, radiance and flux model is being developed jointly by the Air Force Research Laboratory/Space Vehicles Directorate and Spectral Sciences, Inc. It is expected to provide the accuracy required for analyzing spectral data for both atmospheric and surface characterization. These two quantities are the subject of satellite and aircraft campaigns currently being developed and pursued by, for instance: NASA (Earth Observing System), NPOESS (National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System), and the European Space Agency (GOME--Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment). Accuracy improvements in MODTRAN relate primarily to two major developments: (1) the multiple scattering algorithms have been made compatible with the spectroscopy by adopting a corrected-k approach to describe the statistically expected transmittance properties for each spectral bin and atmospheric layer, and (2) radiative transfer calculations can be conducted with a Beer-Lambert formulation that improves the treatment of path inhomogeneities. Other code enhancements include the incorporation of solar azimuth dependence in the DISORT- based multiple scattering model, the introduction of surface BRDF (Bi-directional Radiance Distribution Functions) models and 15 cm-1 band model for improved computational speed.

MODTRAN4 radiative transfer modeling for atmospheric correction

MODTRAN4, the latest publicly released version of MODTRAN, provides many new and important options for modeling atmospheric radiation transport. A correlated-k algorithm improves multiple scattering, eliminates Curtis-Godson averaging, and introduces Beers Law dependencies into the band model. An optimized 15 cm-1 band model provides over a 10-fold increase in speed over the standard MODTRAN 1 cm-1 band model with comparable accuracy when higher spectral resolution results are unnecessary. The MODTRAN ground surface has been upgraded to include the effects of Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Functions (BRDFs) and Adjacency. The BRDFs are entered using standard parameterizations and are coupled into line-of-sight surface radiance calculations.

Theoretical calculation of ozone vibrational infrared intensities

An ab initio dipole moment function for ozone has been computed using the CASSCF (complete active space self‐consistent field) method, and forms the basis for a calculation of ozone infrared band intensities. Vibrational wave functions were generated using the variational method with potential energy surfaces derived from experimental force constants. Computed values of the permanent dipole moment, dipole moment derivatives, and infrared band strengths are all found to be in remarkably good agreement with experiment. Intensities are predicted for hot bands for which experimental values are unavailable, and implications for atmospheric ozone spectroscopy are discussed. As the dipole moment matrix element signs are now established for nearly all of the observed bands, further refinement of the dipole moment function is possible.

Analysis of Hyperion data with the FLAASH atmospheric correction algorithm

A combination of good spatial and spectral resolution make visible to shortwave infrared spectral imaging from aircraft or spacecraft a highly valuable technology for remote sensing of the Earths surface. Many applications require the elimination of atmospheric effects caused by molecular and particulate scattering; a process known as atmospheric correction, compensation, or removal. The Fast Line-of-sight Atmospheric Analysis of Spectral Hypercubes (FLAASH) atmospheric correction code derives its physics-based algorithm from the MODTRAN4 radiative transfer code. A new spectra; recalibration algorithm, which has been incorporated into FLAASH, is described. Results from processing Hyperion data with FLAASH are discussed.

Kinetic parameters for OH nightglow modeling consistent with recent laboratory measurements

Abstract : An improved kinetic model for the Meinel bands of OH has been constructed from rate constants and Einstein A coefficients derived in recent laboratory experiments. Using a semiempirical parameterization of the state-to-state rate constants for OH(v) quenching by O2, the absolute OH(v) nightglow radiances are modeled to within the accuracies of the atmospheric constituent concentrations and the radiometric calibrations. Collisional quenching is found to be predominantly multiquantum at high v but single-quantum at low v.

Validation of the QUick atmospheric correction (QUAC) algorithm for VNIR-SWIR multi- and hyperspectral imagery

We describe a new visible-near infrared short-wavelength infrared (VNIR-SWIR) atmospheric correction method for multi- and hyperspectral imagery, dubbed QUAC (QUick Atmospheric Correction) that also enables retrieval of the wavelength-dependent optical depth of the aerosol or haze and molecular absorbers. It determines the atmospheric compensation parameters directly from the information contained within the scene using the observed pixel spectra. The approach is based on the empirical finding that the spectral standard deviation of a collection of diverse material spectra, such as the endmember spectra in a scene, is essentially spectrally flat. It allows the retrieval of reasonably accurate reflectance spectra even when the sensor does not have a proper radiometric or wavelength calibration, or when the solar illumination intensity is unknown. The computational speed of the atmospheric correction method is significantly faster than for the first-principles methods, making it potentially suitable for real-time applications. The aerosol optical depth retrieval method, unlike most prior methods, does not require the presence of dark pixels. QUAC is applied to atmospherically correction several AVIRIS data sets and a Landsat-7 data set, as well as to simulated HyMap data for a wide variety of atmospheric conditions. Comparisons to the physics-based Fast Line-of-sight Atmospheric Analysis of Spectral Hypercubes (FLAASH) code are also presented.

Quick atmospheric correction code: algorithm description and recent upgrades

Abstract. The quick atmospheric correction (QUAC) code performs atmospheric correction on multi- and hyperspectral imagery spanning all or part of the visible and near infrared–short wave infrared spectral range, ∼400−2500  nm. It utilizes an in-scene approach, requiring only approximate specification of sensor band locations (i.e., central wavelengths) and their radiometric calibration; no additional metadata is required. Because QUAC does not involve first principles radiative-transfer calculations, it is significantly faster than physics-based methods; however, it is also more approximate. We present a detailed description of the QUAC algorithm, highlighting recent accuracy improvements. Example results for several multi-and hyperspectral data sets are presented, and comparisons are made to more rigorous correction approaches.