Retrieval of aerosol optical properties over the ocean using multispectral polarization measurements from space

Abstract

The optical thickness and Ångström coefficient of the aerosols over the ocean near Japan were retrieved from polarization measurements in the visible and near-infrared wavelength regions by the Polarization and Directionality of the Earth's Reflectances (POLDER) on board the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) satellite. The optical thickness over the open sea in the Pacific Ocean was small (<0.2) whereas that over the Sea of Japan and near the Japan islands was large on 26 April 1997. The Ångström coefficient also exhibited a large difference between over the open sea area and near the land. These results suggest that degree of polarization measurements are useful for retrieving aerosol optical properties over the ocean from space.