Radiative transfer simulations of the two-dimensional ocean glint reflectance and determination of the sea surface roughness

Zhenyi Lin, Wei Li, Charles Gatebe, Rajesh Poudyal, Knut Stamnes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

An optimized discrete-ordinate radiative transfer model (DISORT3) with a pseudo-two-dimensional bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is used to simulate and validate ocean glint reflectances at an infrared wavelength (1036 nm) by matching model results with a complete set of BRDF measurements obtained from the NASA cloud absorption radiometer (CAR) deployed on an aircraft. The surface roughness is then obtained through a retrieval algorithm and is used to extend the simulation into the visible spectral range where diffuse reflectance becomes important. In general, the simulated reflectances and surface roughness information are in good agreement with the measurements, and the diffuse reflectance in the visible, ignored in current glint algorithms, is shown to be important. The successful implementation of this new treatment of ocean glint reflectance and surface roughness in DISORT3 will help improve glint correction algorithms in current and future ocean color remote sensing applications.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1206-1215
Number of pages10
JournalApplied Optics
Volume55
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 20 Feb 2016

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