Reply to Comment on “Comparison of Cloud Cover Detection Algorithms on Sentinel–2 Images of the Amazon Tropical Forest”

Alber Hamersson Sanchez,Pedro R Andrade,Rolf Ezequiel O Simões,Sarah Lechler,Karine R Ferreira,Rennan F B Marujo,Gilberto R Queiroz,Gilberto Camara,Michelle Cristina A Picoli,Michel Eustaquio D Chaves,Anderson R Soares

doi:10.3390/rs13051028

Alber Hamersson Sanchez, Pedro R Andrade + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13051028

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Abstract

In their comments about our paper, the authors remark on two issues regarding our results relating to the MACCS-ATCOR Joint Algorithm (MAJA). The first relates to the sub-optimal performance of this algorithm under the conditions of our tests, while the second corresponds to an error in our interpretation of MAJA’s bit mask. To answer the first issue, we acknowledge MAJA’s capacity to improve its performance as the number of images increases with time. However, in our paper, we used the images we had available at the time we wrote our paper. Regarding the second issue, we misread the MAJA’s bit mask and mistakenly labelled shadows as clouds. We regret our error and here we present the updated tables and images. We corrected our estimation and, consequently, there is an increment in MAJA’s accuracy in the detection of clouds and cloud shadows. However, these increments are not enough to change the conclusion of our original paper.

Highlights

Earth System Science Center, National Institute for Space Research—INPE, São José dos Campos 12227-010, Image Processing Division, National Institute for Space Research—INPE, São José dos Campos 12227-010, Remote Sensing Division, National Institute for Space Research—INPE, São José dos Campos 12227-010, These authors contributed to this work
We compared the results of the four algorithms using points collected and classified by experts on remote sensing
Hagolle and Colin [2] pointed to two issues in the method reported in our paper [1], both related to MACCS-ATCOR Joint Algorithm (MAJA)

Summary

Introduction

In our paper [1], we compare four cloud detection algorithms for the Amazon forest using Sentinel images from October 2016 to November 2018. MACCS-ATCOR Joint Algorithm (MAJA) uses time series of images for this purpose. We compared the results of the four algorithms using points collected and classified by experts on remote sensing.

Results

Conclusion