Investigating the impact of haze on MODIS cloud detection

Abstract

AbstractThe cloud detection algorithm for passive sensors is usually based on a fuzzy logic system with thresholds determined from previous observations. In recent years, haze and high aerosol concentrations with high aerosol optical depth (AOD) occur frequently in China and may critically impact the accuracy of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) cloud detection. Thus, we comprehensively explore this impact by comparing the results from MODIS/Aqua (passive sensor), Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization/CALIPSO (lidar sensor), and Cloud Profiling Radar/CloudSat (microwave sensor) of the A‐Train suite of instruments using an averaged AOD as an index for an aerosol concentration value. Case studies concerning the comparison of the three sensors indicate that MODIS cloud detection is reduced during haze events. In addition, statistical studies show that an increase in AOD creates an increase in the percentage of uncertain flags and a decrease in hit rate, a consistency index between consecutive sets of cloud retrievals. On average, AOD values lower than 0.1 give hit rate values up to 80.0% and uncertainty values lower than 16.8%, while AOD values greater than 1.0 reduce the hit rate below to 66.6% and increase the percentage of uncertain flags up to 46.6%. Therefore, we can conclude that the ability of MODIS cloud detection is weakened by large concentrations of aerosols. This suggests that use of the MODIS cloud mask, and derived higher‐level products, in situations with haze requires caution. Further improvement of this retrieval algorithm is desired as haze studies based on MODIS products are of great interest in a number of related fields.