Current status of the Terra/MODIS data utilization in KMA: derivation of SST

Abstract

The direct broadcast Terra/MODIS data has been utilized in Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) since February 2001. This study introduces utilizations of this data, especially for the derivation of sea surface temperature (SST). For an operational production of the MODIS SST, we have derived a new set of MCSST coefficients by using a simple cloud mask algorithm and by assumption of NOAA daily SST as a true SST. The current NASA’s PFSST and new MCSST algorithms are analyzed by using the collocated buoy observations in the East Asia region. Although the number of collocated data was limited, both algorithms have high correlation with the buoy SST, but somewhat bigger bias and RMS difference than we expected. And PFSST uniformly underestimated the SST. Through more analyzing the archived and future-received data, we plan to derive better MCSST coefficients and apply to MODIS data of Aqua. To use the MODIS cloud mask algorithm to get better SST coefficients is going to be prepared.