MISR abstract

Walker, P.L., Blomshield, F.S. (2002). Satellite-Derived Extinction at A Desert Site. Eos Trans. AGU, 83(47), Fall Meet. Suppl. 2002, Abstract # A52A-0093

We have been conducting research aimed at enabling determination of desert optical environments from meteorological and satellite observations. To this end we have been making Rotating Shadowband Radiometer measurements, collecting aerosol size distributions, visibility and meteorological data continuously for the past 2 years in the Indian Wells Valley of the Mojave Desert of California. These data present an opportunity to validate satellite retrieval of atmospheric optical depth. Specifically, MISR-derived optical depths are compared to those derived from Shadowband measurements. A crude measure of extinction can be made by dividing the optical depth by the height of the mixing layer. The validity of this procedure is determined by comparison with extinction directly measured by nephelometers and calculated from measured aerosol size distributions.

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