Remote-Sensing Retrieval of Oceanic Inherent Optical Properties by Inversion of the Radiative Transfer Equation
Abstract
A shape-factor formulation of the radiative transfer equation (RTE) is developed to yield exact expressions for the remote sensing reflectance, R(sub rs), and the equivalent remotely sensed reflectance, RSR(sub alpha). This form of the RTE is configured for inherent optical property (IOP) retrievals via standard linear matrix inversion methods. Our inversion algorithm for the shape-factor RTE is exact in the sense that no approximations are made to the RTE. Thus errors in retrieved inherent optical properties (IOPs) are produced only by uncertainties within: (1) the models for the shape factors and related quantities and (2) the lop models required for inversion. Hydrolight radiative transfer calculations are used to derive analytical models for the various shape factors and related quantities for Case 1 waters. These shape factor models can predict the shape factors with accuracies ranging typically from two to 20%. Using the modeled shape factors, we are able to predict the in-air remotely sensed reflectance RSR(sub alpha) to within 20% of the correct (Hydrolight-computed) values 96% of the time for the synthetic data used to determine the shape factor models, and to predict RSR alpha to within 0,0005/sr 86% of the time.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404856
Entities
People
- Curtis D. Mobley
- Lydia K. Sundman