Abstract. The twin Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors have been flying on Terra since 2000 and Aqua since 2002, creating an extensive data set of global Earth observations. Here, we introduce the Collection 6 (C6) algorithm to retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD) and aerosol size parameters from MODIS-observed spectral reflectance. While not a major overhaul from the previous Collection 5 (C5) version, there are enough changes that there are significant impacts to the products and their interpretation. The C6 aerosol data set will be created from three separate retrieval algorithms that operate over different surface types. These are the two "Dark Target" (DT) algorithms for retrieving (1) over ocean (dark in visible and longer wavelengths) and (2) over vegetated/dark-soiled land (dark in the visible), plus the "Deep Blue" (DB) algorithm developed originally for retrieving (3) over desert/arid land (bright in the visible). Here, we focus on DT-ocean and DTland (#1 and #2). We have updated assumptions for central wavelengths, Rayleigh optical depths and gas (H 2 O, O 3 , CO 2 , etc.) absorption corrections, while relaxing the solar zenith angle limit (up to ≤ 84 • ) to increase poleward coverage. For DT-land, we have updated the cloud mask to allow heavy smoke retrievals, fine-tuned the assignments for aerosol type as function of season/location, corrected bugs in the Quality Assurance (QA) logic, and added diagnostic parameters such topographic altitude. For DT-ocean, improvements include a revised cloud mask for thin-cirrus detection, inclusion of wind speed dependence on the surface reflectance, updates to logic of QA Confidence flag (QAC) assignment, and additions of important diagnostic information.At the same time, we quantified how "upstream" changes to instrument calibration, land/sea masking and cloud masking will also impact the statistics of global AOD, and affect Terra and Aqua differently. For Aqua, all changes will result in reduced global AOD (by 0.02) over ocean and increased AOD (by 0.02) over land, along with changes in spatial coverage. We compared preliminary data to surface-based sun photometer data, and show that C6 should improve upon C5. C6 will include a merged DT/DB product over semi-arid land surfaces for reduced-gap coverage and better visualization, and new information about clouds in the aerosol field. Responding to the needs of the air quality community, in addition to the standard 10 km product, C6 will include a global (DT-land and DT-ocean) aerosol product at 3 km resolution.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Atmospheres data product suite includes three algorithms applied to retrieve midvisible aerosol optical depth (AOD): the Enhanced Deep Blue (DB) and Dark Target (DT) algorithms over land, and a DT over-water algorithm. All three have been refined in the recent "Collection 6" (C6) MODIS reprocessing. In particular, DB has been expanded to cover vegetated land surfaces as well as brighter desert/urban areas. Additionally, a new "merged" data set which draws from all three algorithms is included in the C6 products. This study is intended to act as a point of reference for new and experienced MODIS data users with which to understand the global and regional characteristics of the C6 DB, DT, and merged data sets, based on MODIS Aqua data. This includes validation against Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) observations at 111 sites, focused toward regional and categorical (surface/aerosol type) analysis. Neither algorithm consistently outperforms the other, although in many cases the retrieved AOD and the level of its agreement with AERONET are very similar. In many regions the DB, DT, and merged data sets are all suitable for quantitative applications, bearing in mind that they cannot be considered independent, while in other cases one algorithm does consistently outperform the other. Usage recommendations and caveats are thus somewhat complicated and regionally dependent.
The twin Moderate Imaging resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors have been flying on Terra since 2000 and Aqua since 2002, creating an incredible dataset of global Earth observations. Here, we introduce the Collection 6 (C6) algorithm to retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD) and aerosol size parameters from MODIS-observed spectral reflectance. While not a major overhaul from the previous Collection 5 (C5) version, there are enough changes that there is significant impact on the products and their interpretation. The C6 algorithm is comprised of three sub-algorithms for retrieving aerosol properties (1) over ocean (dark in visible and near-IR wavelengths), (2) over vegetated/dark-soiled land (dark in the visible) and (3) over desert/arid land (bright in the visible). Here, we focus on the changes to both "dark target" algorithms (#1 and #2; DT-ocean and DT-land). Affecting both DT algorithms, we have updated assumptions for central wavelengths, Rayleigh optical depths and gas (H<sub>2</sub>O, O<sub>3</sub>, CO<sub>2</sub>, etc.) absorption corrections, and relaxed the solar zenith angle limit (up to ≤ 84°) to increase pole-ward coverage. For DT-land, we have updated the cloud mask to allow heavy smoke retrievals, fine-tuned the assignments for aerosol type as function of season/location, corrected bugs in the Quality Assurance (QA) logic, and added diagnostic parameters such topographic altitude. For DT-ocean, improvements include a revised cloud mask for thin-cirrus detection, inclusion of wind speed dependence in the retrieval, updates to logic of QA Confidence flag (QAC) assignment, and additions of important diagnostic information. All together, the changes to the DT algorithms result in reduced global AOD (by 0.02) over ocean and increased AOD (by 0.01) over land, along with some changes in spatial coverage. Preliminary validation shows that compared to surface-based sunphotometer data, the C6 DT-products should compare at least as well as those from C5. However, at the same time as we have introduced algorithm changes, we have also been accounting for such "upstream" changes including new instrument calibration, revised land/sea masking and changed cloud masking that has resulted in changes to the coverage and global statistics of the retrieved AOD. To satisfy users' desires for more complete global aerosol coverage, C6 will include a merged DT/DB product over semi-arid land surfaces. In addition to changes to aerosol retrieval, C6 will include diagnostic information about clouds in the aerosol field, such as an aerosol "cloud mask" at 500 m resolution, and products that describe the "distance to the nearest cloud" from clear pixels. Finally, responding to the needs of the air quality community, in addition to the standard 10 km product, C6 will include a global (DT-land and DT-ocean) aerosol product at 3 km resolution
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