Measurement of Radiative Properties of atmospheric aerosols using global data from ATSR.

R.M.Dundas, D.T. Llewellyn-Jones.
University of Leicester.

C.T.Mutlow A.M. Zavody and P. Watts.
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of Leicester
University Road, Leicester
United Kingdom LE1 7RH
Tel: +44 116 2525264
Fax: +44 116 2525262
E-mail: rowan@atsrsc.rl.ac.uk


This paper will  present  the results of an investigation into the
relationship between sea surface temperature (SST)  and aerosol
contamination. Both stratospheric and tropospheric aerosol
concentrations change the normal spectral absorption characteristics
of the atmosphere by increasing the infrared attenuation signal to
the satellite, so satellite SST retrivals in aerosol contaminated
regions are biased low. An analysis of ATSR SST data show  the
importance of this instrument in understanding the effects of aerosols
upon SST.

In June 1991, Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted several
time. These  eruptions provided a situation in which to investigate
the use of ATSR data to analyse heavy stratopsheric aerosol
concentrations. Using a relationship between the SST derived from
ATSR's dual view and single view, a gradual global dispersal of the
Pinatubo aerosol cloud was found. The movement of tropospheric aerosol
from the Sahara can also be clearly seen with a gradual build up
of aerosol peaking  in July, which is consistent with other observations of
Sahara dust.
                               
>From both brightness temperatures (BT) data  and modelled BTs,
the radiative properties of the aerosols on the data can be quantified
and hence related to concentration with further modelling of the
particles resulting in other aerosol properties.
Futhermore it is possible to obtain more accurate SST retrieval
cofficients that allow for the effects of aerosol.
                                   

Keywords: ESA European Space Agency - Agence spatiale europeenne, observation de la terre, earth observation, satellite remote sensing, teledetection, geophysique, altimetrie, radar, chimique atmospherique, geophysics, altimetry, radar, atmospheric chemistry