Surface Albedo Measurements Research Articles

Reconstructing the mass balance of Brewster Glacier, New Zealand, using MODIS-derived glacier-wide albedo

Abstract. In New Zealand, direct measurements of mass balance are sparse due to the inaccessibility of glaciers in the Southern Alps and the logistical difficulties associated with maintaining a mass balance record. In order to explore the benefit of remotely sensed imaging to monitor mass balance in the Southern Alps, this research assesses the relationship between measurements of glacier surface albedo derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and mass balance observations using the glaciological method on Brewster Glacier over the 2005–2013 period. We confirm that minimum glacier-wide albedo is a reliable predictor for annual mass balance in this maritime environment (R2 = 0.93). Furthermore, we show that regular monitoring of glacier-wide albedo enables a new metric of winter accumulation to be derived, namely the cumulative winter albedo, which is found to correlate strongly with winter mass balance (R2 = 0.88), thus enabling the reconstruction of separate winter and summer mass balance records. This allows the mass balance record for Brewster Glacier to be extended back to the start of MODIS observations in 2000 and to confirm that the annual balance of Brewster Glacier is largely controlled by summer balance (R2 = 92 %). An application of the extended record is proposed whereby the relationship between mass balance and the photographic record of the end-of-summer snowline altitude is assessed. This allowed the annual balance record of Brewster Glacier to be reconstructed over the period 1977–2013, thus providing the longest record of mass balance for a glacier in New Zealand. Over the 37-year period, our results show that Brewster Glacier gained a significant mass of up to 14.5 ± 2.7 m w.e. by 2007. This gain was offset by a marked shift toward negative balances after 2008, yielding a loss of 5.1 ± 1.2 m w.e., or 35 % of the gain accumulated over the previous 30 years. The good correspondence between mass balance of Brewster Glacier and the phase of the Pacific (Inter-)Decadal Oscillation (PDO/IPO), associated with the fast terminus retreat observed between 1978 and 1998, strongly suggests that the observed mass gain of Brewster Glacier since 1977 is only offsetting a longer sequence of dominantly negative balances.

A model-based framework for the quality assessment of surface albedo in situ measurement protocols

Satellite-based retrievals of land surface albedo are essential for climate and environmental modelling communities. To be of use, satellite-retrievals are required to comply to given accuracy requirements, mainly achieved through comparison with in situ measurements. Differences between in situ and satellite-based retrievals depend on their actual difference and their associated uncertainties. It is essential that these uncertainties can be computed to properly understand the differences between satellite-based and in situ measurements of albedo, however quantifying the individual contributions of uncertainty is difficult. This study introduces a model-based framework for assessing the quality of in situ albedo measurements. A 3D Monte Carlo Ray Tracing (MCRT) radiative transfer model is used to simulate field measurements of surface albedo, and is able to identify and quantify potential sources of error in the field measurement. Compliance with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) requirement for 3% accuracy is tested. 8 scenarios were investigated, covering a range of ecosystem types and canopy structures, seasons, illumination angles and tree heights. Results indicate that height of measurement above the canopy is the controlling factor in accuracy, with each canopy scenario reaching the WMO requirement at different heights. Increasing canopy heterogeneity and tree height noticeably reduces the accuracy, whereas changing seasonality from summer to winter in a deciduous forest increases accuracy. For canopies with a row structure, illumination angle can significantly impact accuracy as a result of shadowing effects. Tests were made on the potential use of multiple in situ measurements, indicating considerably increased accuracy if two or more in situ measurements can be made.

The moderating effect of water-efficient ground cover vegetation on pedestrian thermal stress

The level of thermal stress experienced by pedestrians in an urban environment is affected by their exchange of energy with their surroundings, and the properties of ground-cover vegetation can have an important influence on this energy exchange − particularly in terms of radiation. Although vegetated surfaces have a low albedo and thus absorb a large part of the solar radiation incident upon them, they can maintain lower temperatures than typical paved surfaces because they are cooled by evapotranspiration. The purpose of this research is to examine the cooling effect of “succulent” surface cover plants that are adapted to arid climates, in comparison to plants such as grass that require substantially more irrigation. The research site, in the Negev desert of southern Israel, consists of several small test plots with different species of succulents and other plants, along with dry ground surfaces. Measurements of surface temperature and albedo provide input for comprehensive pedestrian thermal comfort modeling using the Index of Thermal Stress, assuming an open space scenario with various surface cover treatments. Water requirements of the different plant are examined through an irrigation experiment. Results indicate that although there are thermal differences between the different plant types, these differences are small when compared with non-vegetated surfaces. While the non-succulents are slightly cooler and less stress-inducing than the desert-adapted plants, their water requirements are higher, making them less efficient in terms of the ratio between cooling “benefits” and water “costs”—both of which are expressed in terms of their equivalent energy.

A First-Order Assessment of Direct Aerosol Radiative Effect in the Southeastern U.S. Using over a Decade Long Multisatellite Data Record

Aerosols comprise a critical portion of the Earth's climate due to their radiative properties. More emphasis is now being placed upon understanding radiative effects of aerosols on a regional scale. The primary goal of this research is to estimate the aerosol direct radiative effect (DRE) and examine its dynamical nature in the Southeastern U.S. based on satellite data obtained from the moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) and multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) instruments onboard the Terra satellite from 2000 to 2011. This 12-year analysis utilizes satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD), surface albedo, cloud fraction, and single-scattering albedo over the Southeastern U.S. as inputs to a first-order approximation of regional top of the atmosphere DRE. Results indicate that AOD is the primary driver of DRE estimates, with surface albedo and single-scattering albedo having some appreciable effects as well. During the cooler months, the minima (less negative) of DRE vary between -6 and -3 W/m2, and during the warmer months, there is more variation with DRE maxima varying between -24 and -12.6 W/m2 for MODIS and -22.5 and -11 W/m2 for MISR. Yet if we take an average of the monthly DRE over time (12 years), we estimate Δ F = -7.57 W/m2 for MODIS and Δ F = -5.72 W/m2 for MISR. Regional assessments of the DRE show that background levels of DRE are similar to the 12-year average of satellite-based DRE, with urbanized areas having increased levels of DRE compared to background conditions. Over the study period, DRE has a positive trend (becoming less negative), which implies that the region could lose this protective top of the atmosphere cooling with the advancement of climate change impacting the biogenic emissions of aerosols.

In situ observations of black carbon in snow and the corresponding spectral surface albedo reduction

AbstractBlack carbon (BC) particles emitted from incomplete combustion of fossil fuel and biomass and deposited on snow and ice darken the surface and reduce the surface albedo. Even small initial surface albedo reductions may have larger adjusted effects due to snow morphology changes and changes in the sublimation and snow melt rate. Most of the literature on the effect of BC on snow surface albedo is based on numerical models, and few in situ field measurements exist to confirm this reduction. Here we present an extensive set of concurrent in situ measurements of spectral surface albedo, BC concentrations in the upper 5 cm of the snowpack, snow physical parameters (grain size and depth), and incident solar flux characteristics from the Arctic. From this data set (with median BC concentrations ranging from 5 to 137 ng BC per gram of snow) we are able to separate the BC signature on the snow albedo from the natural snow variability. Our measurements show a significant correlation between BC in snow and spectral surface albedo. Based on these measurements, parameterizations are provided, relating the snow albedo, as a function of wavelength, to the equivalent BC content in the snowpack. The term equivalent BC used here is the elemental carbon concentration inferred from the thermo‐optical method adjusted for the fraction of non‐BC constituents absorbing sunlight in the snow. The first parameterization is a simple equation which efficiently describes the snow albedo reduction due to the equivalent BC without including details on the snow or BC microphysics. This can be used in models when a simplified description is needed. A second parameterization, including snow grain size information, shows enhanced correspondence with the measurements. The extracted parameterizations are valid for wavelength bands 400–900 nm, constrained for BC concentrations between 1 and 400 ng g−1, and for an optically thick snowpack. The parameterizations are purely empirical, and particular focus was on the uncertainties associated with the measurements, and how these uncertainties propagate in the parameterizations. Integrated, the first parameterization (based only on the equivalent BC) gives a broadband (400–900 nm) snow albedo reduction of 0.004 due to 10 ng equivalent BC per gram of snow, while the effect is almost 5 times larger for BC concentrations 1 order of magnitude higher. The study shows that the reconstructed albedo from the second parameterization (including information on the snow grain size) corresponds better to the radiative transfer model Snow, Ice, and Aerosol Radiation albedo than the reconstructed albedo from the first parameterization (excluding grain size information).

Areal-Averaged Spectral Surface Albedo from Ground-Based Transmission Data Alone: Toward an Operational Retrieval

We present here a simple retrieval of the areal-averaged spectral surface albedo using only ground-based measurements of atmospheric transmission under fully overcast conditions. Our retrieval is based on a one-line equation. The feasibility of our retrieval for routine determinations of albedo is demonstrated for different landscapes with various degrees of heterogeneity using three sets of measurements: (1) spectral atmospheric transmission from the Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR) at five wavelengths (415, 500, 615, 673, and 870 nm); (2) tower-based measurements of local surface albedo at the same wavelengths; and (3) areal-averaged surface albedo at four wavelengths (470, 560, 670 and 860 nm) from collocated and coincident Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations. These integrated datasets cover both temporally long (2008–2013) and short (April–May 2010) periods at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains site and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Table Mountain site, respectively. The calculated root mean square error (RMSE), defined here as the root mean squared difference between the MODIS-derived surface albedo and the retrieved areal-averaged albedo, is quite small (RMSE ≤ 0.015) and comparable with that obtained previously by other investigators for the shortwave broadband albedo. Good agreement between tower-based measurements of daily-averaged surface albedo for completely overcast and non-overcast conditions is also demonstrated.

Energy exchange in a dense urban environment – Part II: Impact of spatial heterogeneity of the surface

The centre of cities, characterised by spatial and temporal complexity, are challenging environments for micrometeorological research. This paper considers the impact of sensor location and heterogeneity of the urban surface on flux observations in the dense city centre of London, UK. Data gathered at two sites in close vicinity, but with different measurement heights, were analysed to investigate the influence of source area characteristics on long-term radiation and turbulent heat fluxes. Combining consideration of diffuse radiation and effects of specular reflections, the non-Lambertian urban surface is found to impact the measurements of surface albedo. Comparisons of observations from the two sites reveal that turbulent heat fluxes are similar under some flow conditions. However, they mostly observe processes at different scales due to their differing measurement heights, highlighting the critical impact of siting sensors in urban areas. A detailed source area analysis is presented to investigate the surface controls influencing the energy exchanges at the different scales.

Airborne MAX‐DOAS measurements over California: Testing the NASA OMI tropospheric NO2 product

AbstractAirborne Multi‐AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (AMAX‐DOAS) measurements of NO2 tropospheric vertical columns were performed over California for two months in summer 2010. The observations are compared to the NASA Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) tropospheric vertical columns (data product v2.1) in two ways: (1) Median data were compared for the whole time period for selected boxes, and the agreement was found to be fair (R = 0.97, slope = 1.4 ± 0.1, N = 10). (2) A comparison was performed on the mean of coincident AMAX‐DOAS measurements within the area of the corresponding OMI pixels with the tropospheric NASA OMI NO2 assigned to that pixel. The effects of different data filters were assessed. Excellent agreement and a strong correlation (R = 0.85, slope = 1.05 ± 0.09, N = 56) was found for (2) when the data were filtered to eliminate large pixels near the edge of the OMI orbit, the cloud radiance fraction was <50%, the OMI overpass occurred within 2 h of the AMAX‐DOAS measurements, the flight altitude was >2 km, and a representative sample of the footprint was taken by the AMAX‐DOAS instrument. The AMAX‐DOAS and OMI data sets both show a reduction of NO2 tropospheric columns on weekends by 38 ± 24% and 33 ± 11%, respectively. The assumptions in the tropospheric satellite air mass factor simulations were tested using independent measurements of surface albedo, aerosol extinction, and NO2 profiles for Los Angeles for July 2010 indicating an uncertainty of 12%.

Atmospheric effect on the ground-based measurements of broadband surface albedo

Abstract. Ground-based pyranometer measurements of the (clear-sky) broadband surface albedo are affected by the atmospheric conditions (mainly by aerosol particles, water vapour and ozone). A new semi-empirical method for estimating the magnitude of the effect of atmospheric conditions on surface albedo measurements in clear-sky conditions is presented. Global and reflected radiation and/or aerosol optical depth (AOD) at two wavelengths are needed to apply the method. Depending on the aerosol optical depth and the solar zenith angle values, the effect can be as large as 20%. For the cases we tested using data from the Cabauw atmospheric test site in the Netherlands, the atmosphere caused typically up to 5% overestimation of surface albedo with respect to corresponding black-sky surface albedo values.

Intercomparison of MODIS albedo retrievals and in situ measurements across the global FLUXNET network

Surface albedo is a key parameter in the Earth's energy balance since it affects the amount of solar radiation directly absorbed at the planet surface. Its variability in time and space can be globally retrieved through the use of remote sensing products. To evaluate and improve the quality of satellite retrievals, careful intercomparisons with in situ measurements of surface albedo are crucial. For this purpose we compared MODIS albedo retrievals with surface measurements taken at 53 FLUXNET sites that met strict conditions of land cover homogeneity. A good agreement between mean yearly values of satellite retrievals and in situ measurements was found (r2=0.82). The mismatch is correlated with the spatial heterogeneity of surface albedo, stressing the relevance of land cover homogeneity when comparing point to pixel data. When the seasonal patterns of MODIS albedo are considered for different plant functional types, the match with surface observations is extremely good at all forest sites. On the contrary, satellite retrievals at non-forested sites (grasslands, savannas, croplands) underestimate in situ measurements across the seasonal cycle. The mismatch observed at grassland and cropland sites is likely due to the extreme fragmentation of these landscapes, as confirmed by geostatistical attributes derived from high resolution scenes.

Calibration and evaluation of a high-resolution surface mass-balance model for Paakitsoq, West Greenland

AbstractModelling the hydrology of the Greenland ice sheet, including the filling and drainage of supraglacial lakes, requires melt inputs generated at high spatial and temporal resolution. Here we apply a high spatial (100 m) and temporal (1 hour) mass-balance model to a 450 km2 subset of the Paakitsoq region, West Greenland. The model is calibrated by adjusting the values for parameters of fresh snow density, threshold temperature for solid/liquid precipitation and elevation-dependent precipitation gradient to minimize the error between modelled output and surface height and albedo measurements from three Greenland Climate Network stations for the mass-balance years 2000/01 and 2004/05. Bestfit parameter values are consistent between the two years at 400 kg m-3, 2°C and +14% (100 m)-1, respectively. Model performance is evaluated, first, by comparing modelled snow and ice distribution with that derived from Landsat-7 ETM+ satellite imagery using normalized-difference snow index classification and supervised image thresholding; and second, by comparing modelled albedo with that retrieved from the MODIS sensor M0D10A1 product. Calculation of mass-balance components indicates that 6% of surface meltwater and rainwater refreezes in the snowpack and does not become runoff, such that refreezing accounts for 31% of the net accumulation.

Improving global estimates of land surface properties

Large models often rely on numerical simplifications of complex or small‐scale processes, usually because the underlying mechanisms are not well understood or direct observations are unavailable. The values for these parameterizations can be tuned to fit observations or estimated through an inversion process, in which measurements of one easily observable parameter are used to calculate a related, but more elusive, physical quantity. However, remotely sensed data are specific to each instrument, so it is crucial to ascertain whether a new sensor's data can be used with a model. Using the Joint Research Centre Two‐stream Inversion Package (JRC‐TIP) inversion model, Pinty et al. provide a method of transforming satellite measurements of surface albedo made by NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite into a physically consistent set of radiative and structural surface variable values suitable for assimilation into climate models. (Journal of Geophysical Research‐Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2010JD015372, 2011)

Cloudy sky shortwave radiative closure for a Baseline Surface Radiation Network site

[1] A shortwave radiative closure analysis for cloudy skies is presented for the Cabauw Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) site (51.97°N, 4.93°E). The cloudy cases are carefully selected to be overcast, single-layer, homogeneous, nonprecipitating water clouds. We selected in total 639 cases on 9 days between May 2008 and May 2009 and on 30 January 2007. The Doubling-Adding KNMI (DAK) code is used to simulate global irradiances. The cloud optical thickness is derived from the cloud liquid water path from microwave radiometer (MWR) measurements and the MODIS L2 cloud effective radius product. The scattering phase matrix of the cloud particles is calculated using a Mie code with the two-parameter Gamma size distribution. The MWR integrated water vapor column and an aerosol climatology are also used in the simulations. The cloudy cases cover a large range of liquid water path (30–400 g/m2), water vapor column (0.7–3.1 cm), and solar zenith angle (41°–75°). The mean difference between simulated global irradiances and BSRN measurements is 6 W/m2 (5%), with a standard deviation of 14 W/m2 (13%). This difference is within the uncertainties of the model input parameters and measurement errors. The correlation coefficient between the measured and simulated global irradiances is 0.95. The good closure results demonstrate the high quality of the MODIS effective radius data and MWR liquid water path data and the accuracy of the DAK model for the selected water cloud cases. Furthermore, the effects of clouds, aerosols, water vapor, and surface albedo on the global irradiance have been analyzed carefully. The sensitivity study shows that in order to achieve the closure with an uncertainty of a few W/m2, more frequent effective radius data, simultaneous aerosol and cloud measurements, and surface albedo measurements are essential.

Effect of measured surface albedo on modeled Saharan dust solar radiative forcing

The clear‐sky solar radiative forcing of Saharan dust is computed for a case study during the SAharan Mineral dUst experiMent (SAMUM) in May 2006. Size‐resolved dust concentrations simulated with a regional model and spectrally resolved surface albedo measurements were used as input for a 1‐D radiative transfer model to study the dependence of the dust radiative forcing at solar wavelengths on surface albedo and particle optical properties. Within the considered parameter range, the surface albedo can have a larger impact on the solar radiative forcing of dust at the top of atmosphere (TOA) than the variations of optical properties. At the location of Ouarzazate in Morocco, different measured surface albedo values lead to differences in instantaneous solar TOA solar forcing of up to 15 W m−2 for identical dust properties. This highlights the importance of using an accurate characterization of surface albedo values for estimating solar dust forcing over land. In the regional average over the Sahara using either the standard model values or satellite‐based surface albedos leads to differences in the order of 9 W m−2 in the instantaneous solar forcing at TOA, and 5 W m−2 for the diurnal mean TOA forcing.

Significant variations of surface albedo during a snowy period at Xianghe observatory, China

Surface albedo over typical types of surfaces in the North China Plain was observed using a Multi-field Albedo Observation System before and after several snowfalls from 13 to 27 February 2005. Dramatic variations of the surface albedos of bare land, a frozen pond, and withered grassland during that period were analyzed. Under cloudy sky, the mean surface albedo of bare land was about 0.23, but it immediately rose to 0.85 when the surface was covered by fresh snow. The albedo decreased gradually to normal levels afterwards. The melting processes were different depending on the characteristics of the underlying surfaces. For example, over grassland the surface albedo was relatively lower after snowfall, and as a result, more solar energy could be absorbed and consequently the snow melting process was accelerated. Significant variations of surface albedo cannot be easily captured by satellite observations; therefore, detailed measurements of surface albedo and related parameters are essential for determining the impact of snow on the energy budget of the Earth.

The MODIS (Collection V005) BRDF/albedo product: Assessment of spatial representativeness over forested landscapes

A new methodology for establishing the spatial representativeness of tower albedo measurements that are routinely used in validation of satellite retrievals from global land surface albedo and reflectance anisotropy products is presented. This method brings together knowledge of the intrinsic biophysical properties of a measurement site, and the surrounding landscape to produce a number of geostatistical attributes that describe the overall variability, spatial extent, strength of the spatial correlation, and spatial structure of surface albedo patterns at separate seasonal periods throughout the year. Variogram functions extracted from Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) retrievals of surface albedo using multiple spatial and temporal thresholds were used to assess the degree to which a given point (tower) measurement is able to capture the intrinsic variability of the immediate landscape extending to a satellite pixel. A validation scheme was implemented over a wide range of forested landscapes, looking at both deciduous and coniferous sites, from tropical to boreal ecosystems. The experiment focused on comparisons between tower measurements of surface albedo acquired at local solar noon and matching retrievals from the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (Collection V005) Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)/albedo algorithm. Assessments over a select group of field stations with comparable landscape features and daily retrieval scenarios further demonstrate the ability of this technique to identify measurement sites that contain the intrinsic spatial and seasonal features of surface albedo over sufficiently large enough footprints for use in modeling and remote sensing studies. This approach, therefore, improves our understanding of product uncertainty both in terms of the representativeness of the field data and its relationship to the larger satellite pixel.

Retrieval of aerosol single scattering albedo at ultraviolet wavelengths at the T1 site during MILAGRO

Abstract. Surface measurements of direct and diffuse voltages at UV wavelengths were made at the T1 site during the MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations) field campaign in March 2006, using a multifilter rotating shadowband radiometer (UV-MFRSR). We used the MFRSR data, together with measurements from a co-located CIMEL Sun photometer at the site operating as part of the AERONET network, to deduce aerosol single scattering albedo (ω) at 368 and 332 nm for four cloud-free days during the study. Our retrievals suggest that T1 aerosols with aerosol extinction optical depth τ368>0.1 that are influenced by Mexico City emissions, blowing dust, and biomass burning, are characterized by low ω368=0.73–0.85 and ω332=0.70–0.86, with small or no spectral variation of ω between 368 and 332 nm. Our findings are consistent with other published estimates of ω for Mexico City aerosols, including those that suggest that the absorption attributable to these aerosols is enhanced at UV wavelengths relative to visible wavelengths. We also demonstrate, via sensitivity tests, the importance of accurate τ and surface albedo measurements in ω retrievals at UV wavelengths.

Détermination de l'albédo de surface des glaciers à partir de photographies terrestres

The use of terrestrial photography to determine snow surface albedo has been developed by J. Corripio in 2002. This method allows an easy determination of spatio-temporal variability of this parameter which is decisive in glacier mass balance. Two digital cameras have been settled for this intent on the Saint Sorlin glacier (Alps, France) in order to complement meteorological and glaciological monitoring instruments. Corripio's method has been applied on Saint Sorlin glacier and improved using a database of Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) of snow in order to take into account anisotropy of snow radiative transfer. This database has been built using BRDFs of different types of snow measured in laboratory. Spatial and temporal evolution of glacier albedo has been derived during summer 2006 using terrestrial photography and surface albedo measurement on one point of the glacier; these data show that the original method improved with reflected radiation anisotropy processing allows coherent retrieval of albedo values. Nevertheless, the original method requires an albedo reference point (measured) on glacier. A new method based on Corripio's original method has been also developed in order to avoid the necessity of an albedo reference point. This method includes several improvements, spectral processing of incident and reflected radiation, narrow-to-broadband conversion, anisotropy treatment and so allows absolute retrieval of surface albedo value without the necessity of an albedo reference point. This study described the results obtained during summer 2006 with the original method but also the principles of this new method.

Uvb surface albedo measurements using biometers

This work describes ultraviolet-B albedo measurements performed over several surfaces and different atmospheric conditions. These results provide a complement to previous studies as Blumthaler & Ambach (1988), widely used as albedo reference for the main UV radiative transfer models. A custom-built albedometer composed of apair of Solarlight UVB501 biometer was used to measure the albedo over the following surfaces: green and yellowish grass, sand, wood (natural and painted), formica (synthetic plate), and iron. Influence of clouds and the sensor's response to temperature variations are also discussed. Presence of clouds on surface albedo measurement seems negligible, but athermo-regulated instrument is indispensable to an accurate analysis. Comparison with previous works shows the need for studies on the detailed characterization of the type of surface.

Aircraft measurements of spectral surface albedo and its consistency with ground‐based and space‐borne observations

Spectral surface albedo, a boundary condition which needs to be accurately known for aerosol remote sensing, surface aerosol forcing, and radiative transfer calculations, also strongly affects Earth's radiation balance. The difficulty in deriving surface albedo from space and aircraft observations lies mainly in the atmospheric correction, especially in aerosol‐burdened regions. Because of the different scales, comparing satellite retrievals with airborne or ground‐based observations is not straightforward. We use Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer (SSFR) measurements of upward and downward irradiance from aircraft altitude during Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) to determine spectral surface albedo at ground stations and along the flight track (over the wavelength range 350 to 2100 nm), thereby linking flight‐level retrieved measurements to larger‐scale satellite observations in the polluted Mexico City environment. Our approach involves iteratively adjusting the surface albedo input of a SSFR specific radiative transfer model until the modeled upward irradiance matches the SSFR measurements at flight level. A sensitivity analysis of surface albedo to aerosol optical properties provides a retrieval uncertainty, which can outweigh the SSFR instrument uncertainty under highly variable conditions (or uncertain measurements) of aerosol optical depth and asymmetry parameter. Comparisons between spectral surface albedo derived from the SSFR, Multi‐Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer, and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument onboard the NASA‐EOS Terra and Aqua satellites are shown with differences of 6–10% and 0.025–0.05 units, respectively. Along‐track comparisons between the SSFR and MODIS show that two instruments (aircraft and satellite) can capture inhomogeneous surface albedo scene changes.