Article Type:
Research Article

Onboard Real-Time Absolute Radiometric Calibration for Thermal Infrared Channels of Chinese Geostationary Meteorological Satellites

Jinjun Tong Environmental Science and Engineering Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, and Key Laboratory of Radiometric Calibration and Validation for Environmental Satellites, China Meteorological Administration, National Satellite Meteorology Center, Beijing, China

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Stephen J. Déry Environmental Science and Engineering Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada

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Bo Hu Department of Human Resources, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China

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Yun Chen National Meteorological Centre, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China

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Changjun Yang Key Laboratory of Radiometric Calibration and Validation for Environmental Satellites, China Meteorological Administration, National Satellite Meteorology Center, Beijing, China

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Zhiguo Rong Key Laboratory of Radiometric Calibration and Validation for Environmental Satellites, China Meteorological Administration, National Satellite Meteorology Center, Beijing, China

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Print Publication:
01 Feb 2009
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/2008JTECHA1139.1
Page(s):
281–289
Restricted access

Abstract

Forty-one cloud-free images of Qinghai Lake (QHL) in China and the corresponding digital numbers (DNs) of FengYun-2C (FY-2C) at 0000, 0600, 1200, and 1800 UTC from 1 July to 30 September 2005 are analyzed. The corresponding surface water temperatures of QHL measured by the automated hydrometeorological buoy (AHMB) system and the atmospheric profiles over QHL from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data are inputted into the atmospheric transfer model MODTRAN3.7 to calculate the entrance pupil radiance and brightness temperatures for thermal infrared (TIR) channels of FY-2C. Then, the absolute radiometric calibration coefficients of FY-2C, which are used to calculate the equivalent blackbody (EBB) temperatures TEBB, are calculated by comparing the entrance pupil radiance and brightness temperatures with the corresponding DNs. In addition, the temperatures of onboard blackbody (OBB) TOBB, primary, secondary, refraction, and calibration mirrors on the multichannel scanning radiometer (MSR) of FY-2C are detected remotely. Based on the linear correlation between TEBB − TOBB and temperatures of various mirrors, the transform equations from TOBB to TEBB are developed. Finally, the onboard real-time absolute radiometric calibration for TIR channels of geostationary meteorological satellite FY-2C is implemented with an uncertainty of about 1.5 and 2.1 K for TIR 1 and TIR 2 of FY-2C, respectively.

Corresponding author address: Bo Hu, Department of Human Resources and Education, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China. Email: hubo7178@yahoo.com.cn

Abstract

Forty-one cloud-free images of Qinghai Lake (QHL) in China and the corresponding digital numbers (DNs) of FengYun-2C (FY-2C) at 0000, 0600, 1200, and 1800 UTC from 1 July to 30 September 2005 are analyzed. The corresponding surface water temperatures of QHL measured by the automated hydrometeorological buoy (AHMB) system and the atmospheric profiles over QHL from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data are inputted into the atmospheric transfer model MODTRAN3.7 to calculate the entrance pupil radiance and brightness temperatures for thermal infrared (TIR) channels of FY-2C. Then, the absolute radiometric calibration coefficients of FY-2C, which are used to calculate the equivalent blackbody (EBB) temperatures TEBB, are calculated by comparing the entrance pupil radiance and brightness temperatures with the corresponding DNs. In addition, the temperatures of onboard blackbody (OBB) TOBB, primary, secondary, refraction, and calibration mirrors on the multichannel scanning radiometer (MSR) of FY-2C are detected remotely. Based on the linear correlation between TEBB − TOBB and temperatures of various mirrors, the transform equations from TOBB to TEBB are developed. Finally, the onboard real-time absolute radiometric calibration for TIR channels of geostationary meteorological satellite FY-2C is implemented with an uncertainty of about 1.5 and 2.1 K for TIR 1 and TIR 2 of FY-2C, respectively.

Corresponding author address: Bo Hu, Department of Human Resources and Education, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081, China. Email: hubo7178@yahoo.com.cn

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Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology

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