Development of split-window algorithm for land surface temperature estimation from the VIRR/FY-3A measurements

Abstract

This letter addressed the development of splitwindow algorithm to estimate land surface temperature (LST) from the measurements acquired by the Visible and Infrared Radiometer on FengYun 3A using radiative transfer modeling experiment with the moderate spectral resolution atmospheric transmittance algorithm and computer model and the SeeBor V5.0 database. To improve the accuracy, the total precipitable water and the mean of land surface emissivities (LSEs) and LST were divided into several subranges. The splitwindow algorithm was applied to the Northeastern China area (115° E?135° E, 40° N?55° N), and then, the estimated LSTs were cross-validated with the Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS/Terra) LST and Emissivity (LST/E) V5 products: MOD11C1 V5 and MOD11-L2 V5. The results show that the LSTs in this work are averagely consistent with the MODIS/Terra LST/E V5 products with accuracy better than 1.0 K: The errors are 0.5 ± 0.9 K and 0.0 ± 0.9 K for daytime and nighttime, respectively, when the retrieved LSTs were compared to the MOD11C1 V5 product, while the errors are 0.6 ± 0.9 K and 0.0 ± 0.9 K for daytime and nighttime, respectively, when the results were compared to the MOD11-L2 V5 product. © 2004-2012 IEEE.