A consolidated technique for enhancing desert dust storms with MODIS

Abstract

A new satellite-based multispectral passive radiometer technique for daytime enhancement of airborne dust over water and land has been developed. The algorithm, which combines color information from multiple visible channels with near and far infrared measurements, provides an improved ability to distinguish areas of dust from water/ice clouds and bright desert backgrounds in enhanced false-color imagery. While generally applicable to any sensor possessing the requisite spectral information, the method is demonstrated here using high spatial and spectral resolution digital data from the Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments carried aboard Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra and Aqua polar orbiter platforms.