Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Satellite Remote Sensing of Evaporation over Sea

  • Conference paper
Radiation and Water in the Climate System

Part of the book series: Nato ASI Series ((ASII,volume 45))

Abstract

The remote sensing of evaporation over sea mainly requires to derive three quantities from satellite data: Sea surface temperature, surface wind speed and specific air humidity. The sea surface temperature is derived from infrared imagery of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), flown on the NOAA polar orbiters and from the Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) operated on the ERS-1 satellite. Split- and dual-window techniques are employed in order to correct the satellite-measured brightness temperatures for atmospheric effects, mainly due to water vapors. Recent techniques include nonlinear terms and information from other radiometers improving the retrieval accuracy. Attention must be paid to the difference between bulk and skin surface temperatures which can be as great as ± 1K due to the skin cooling and the diurnal thermocline. This difference is of the order of the retrieval accuracy achieved nowadays and must be known when interpreting satellite-derived sea surface temperatures. Surface wind speed and near-surface humidity are obtained from passive microwave measurements of the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) that is part of the DMSP satellite series. While the surface wind speed is derived from brightness-temperature variations induced by emissivity changes in resposne to surface roughness and foam coverage the determination of the surface air humidity is related to the water-vapour columns that can be retrieved from multi-channel retrieval schemes applied to the satellite-measured microwave data. Recent investigations show that the SSM/I not only allows to retrieve the total precipitable water but also the water-vapour column of the lower 500 m which is closer related to the surface air humidity than the total water-vapour column. The retrieval methods are developed by means of radiative transfer simulations and subsequent multivariate analysis. An application of the theoretically developed techniques to real satellite data and comparisons with in-situ measurements are performed to test the single parameter retrievals. A subsequent intercomparison of the latent heat fluxes dared from satellites with those obtained from from ship measurements sheds light on the retrieval accuracy and on the differences between various methods in use. For single match-ups the standard deviation between ship and satellite measurements is about 30 W/m2 leading to monthly mean errors less than 10 W/m2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Anding D, Kauth R (1970) Estimation of sea-surface temperature from space. Remote Sensing Environ 1: 270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barton IJ, Závody AM, Prata AJ, Llewellyn-Jones DT, Bailey P, Cechet RP, Gorman MR, Kent P, Lee DJ, Mutlow CT, Nilsson CS (1992) Intercomparison of satellitederived sea surface temperatures. Proceedings of the Central Symposium of the ‘International Space Year’ Conference, held in Munich, Germany, 30 March – 4 April 1992, ESA SP-341: 367–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox CS, Munk WH (1954) Measurement of the roughness of the sea surface from photographs of the sun’s glitter. J Opt Soc Am 44: 838–850

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deschamps PY, Phulpin T (1979) Atmosphere correction of infrared measurements of sea surface temperature using channels at 3.7, 11 and 12 μm. Bound Lay Met 18: 131–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emery WJ, Yu Y, Wick GA, Schlüssel P, Reynolds RW (1994) Correcting infrared satellite estimates of sea surface temperature for atmospheric water vapor contamination. J Geophys Res 99: 5219–5236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francis CR, Thomas DP, Windsor EPL (1983) The evaluation of SMMR retrieval algorithms, in: Allan TD (ed) Satellite microwave remote sensing. Ellis Horwood Ltd. Chichester, 481–498

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodberlet MA, Swift CT, Wilkerson JC (1989) Remote sensing of ocean surface winds with the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager. J Geophys Res 94: 14547–14555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grassl, H (1976) The dependence of the measured cool skin of the ocean on wind stress and total heat flux. Bound Lay Met 10: 465–474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, AR, Mason IM (1992) An extension to the split-window technique giving improved atmospheric correction and total water vapour. Int J Remote Sensing 13: 881–892

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasse, L (1971) The sea surface temperature deviation and the heat flow at the sea-air interface. Bound Lay Met 1: 368–379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasse, L (1993) Observations of air sea fluxes, in Raschke E, Jacob D (eds) Energy and water cycles in the climate system, NATO ASI Series I5: 263–293

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Katsaros KB, Liu TW, Businger JA, Tillman JA (1977) Heat transport and thermal structure in the interfacial boundary layer measured in an open tank of water in turbulent free convection. J Fluid Mech 83: 311–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koepke P (1986) Oceanic whitecaps: Their effective reflectance, in Monahan EC, MacNicoaill G (eds) Oceanic whitecaps and their role in air-sea exchange processes. Dordrecht, Reidel, pp 272–274

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kudryavtsev VN, Soloviev AV (1981) On thermal state of the ocean surface. Izvestia Atmos Oceanic Phys 17: 1065–1071

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauritson L, Nelson GJ, Porto FW (1979) Data extraction and calibration of TIROSN/NOAA radiometers. NOAA Technical Memorandum 107, U.S. Department of Commerce

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu WT, Niiler PP (1984) Determination of monthly mean humidity in the atmospheric surface layer over ocean from satellite data. J Phys Ocean 14: 1451–1457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu WT, Zhang A, Bishop JKB (1994) Evaporation and solar irradiance as regulators of sea surface temperature in annual and interannual changes. J Geophys Res 99: 12623–12637

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Llewellyn-Jones DT, Minnett PJ, Saunders RW, Závody AM (1984) Satellite multichannel infrared measurement of sea surface temperature of the N.E. Atlantic Ocean using AVHRR/2. Quart J Roy Met Soc 110: 613–631

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClain EP, Pichel WG, Walton CC, Ahmad Z, Sutton J (1983) Multi-channel improvements to satellite derived global sea surface temperatures. Adv Space Res 2: 43–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClatchey RA, Fenn RW, Selby JEA, Volz FE, Garing JS (1972) Optical properties of the atmosphere, Environ Res Pap 411 AFCRL-72–0497, Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories Bedford Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  • McMillin LM (1975) Estimation of sea surface temperature from two infrared window measurements with differential absorptions, J Geophys Res 80: 5113–5117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMillin LM, Crosby DS (1984) Theory and validation of the multiple window sea surface temperature technique. J Geophys Res 89: 3655–3661

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minnett PJ (1990) The regional optimization of infrared measurements of sea surface temperature from space. J Geophys Res 95: 13497–13510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitsuyasu H, Honda H (1982) Wind-induced growth of of water waves. J Fluid Mech 123: 425–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monahan EC, O’Muircheartaigh IG (1986) Whitecaps and the passive remote sensing of the ocean surface. Int J Remote Sens 7: 627–642

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mutlow CT, Závody AM, Barton IJ, Llewellyn-Jones DT (1994) Sea surface temperature measurements by the along-track scanning radiometer on the ERS-1 satellite: Early results. J Geophys Res 99: 22575–22588

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olesen FS, Grassl H (1985) Cloud detection and classification over oceans at night with NOAA-7. Int J Remote Sens 6: 1435–1444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey PC, Kakar RK (1982) An empirical microwaves emissivity model for a foam-covered sea. IEEE J Ocean Eng 7: 135–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paulson CA, Simpson JJ (1981) The temperature difference across the cool skin of the ocean. J Geophys Res 86: 11044–11054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prabhakara C, Dalu G, Kunde VG (1974) Estimation of sea surface temperature from remote sensing in the 11 to 13 micron window region. J Geophys Res 79: 5039–5044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prata AJF, Cechet RP, Barton IJ, Llewellyn-Jones DT (1990) The Along Track Scanning Radiometer for ERS-1 — scan geometry and data simulation. IEEE Trans Geosci Remote Sens 28: 3–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao CRN (1992) Aerosol radiative corrections to the retrieval of sea surface temperature from infrared radiances measured by the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHR). Int J Remote Sens 13: 1757–1769

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds RW (1993) Impact of Mount Pinatubo aerosols on satellite-derived sea surface temperatures. J Climate 6: 768–774

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson IS, Wells NC, Charnock H (1984) The sea surface boundary layer and its relevance to the measurement of sea surface temperature by airborne and spaceborne radiometers. Int J Remote Sens 5: 19–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodgers CD (1976) Retrieval of atmospheric temperature and composition from remote measurements of thermal radiation. Rev Geophys Space Phys 14: 609–624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenkranz PW (1992) Rough-sea microwave emissivities measured with the SSM/I. IEEE Trans Geosci Remote Sens 30: 1081–1085

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saunders PM (1967) The temperature at the ocean-air interface. J Atmos Sci 24: 269–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saunders RW, Kriebel KT (1988) An improved method for detecting clear sky and cloudy sky radiances from AVHRR data. Int J Remote Sens 9: 123–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlüssel P (1989) Satellite-derived low-level atmospheric water vapour content from synergy of AVHRR with HIRS. Int J Remote Sens 10: 705–721

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlüssel P, Emery WJ, Grassl H, Mammen T (1990) On the bulk-skin temperature difference and its impact on satellite remote sensing of sea surface temperature. J Geophys Res 95: 13341–13356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlüssel P, Emery WJ (1990) Atmospheric water vapour over oceans from SSM/I measurements. Int J Remote Sens 11: 753–766

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlüssel P, Grassl H (1990) SST in polynias: A case study. Int J Remote Sens 11: 933–945

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlüssel P, Luthard H (1991) Surface wind speeds over the North Sea from Special Sensor Microwave/Imager Observations. J Geophys Res 96: 4845–4853

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlüssel P, Meywerk J (1993) ATSR correlative skin measurements of sea surface temperature. Proceedings First ERS-1 Symposium — Space at the service of our environment, Cannes France 4–6 November 1992, ESA SP-359: 779–784

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlüssel P, Shin HY, Emery WJ, Grassl H (1987) Comparison of satellite-derived sea surface temperatures with in situ skin measurements. J Geophys Res 92: 2859–2874

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlüssel P, Schanz L, Englisch G (1995) Retrieval of latent heat flux and longwave irradiance at the sea surface from SSM/I and AVHRR measurements. Adv Space Res 16: 107–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulz J, Schlüssel P, Grassl H (1993) Water vapour in the atmospheric bounday layer over oceans from SSM/I measurements. Int J Remote Sens 14: 2773–2789

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith SD (1989) Water vapor flux at the sea surface. Bound Lay Met 47: 277–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soloviev AV, Schlüssel P (1994) Parameterization of the cool skin of the ocean and of the air-ocean gas transfer on the basis of modelling surface renewal. J Phys Ocean 24: 1339–1346

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walton CC (1988) Nonlinear multichannel algorithms for estimating sea surface temperatures with AVHRR data. J Appl Met 27: 115–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wentz FJ (1975) A two-scale scattering model for foam-free sea microwave brightness temperatures. J Geophys Res 80: 3441–3446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wentz FJ (1983) A model function for ocean microwave brightness temperature. J Geophys Res 88: 1892–1908

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wentz FJ (1992) Measurement of oceanic wind vector using satellite microwave radiometers. IEEE Trans Geosci Remote Sens 30: 960–972

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wessel P, Smith WHF (1991) Free software helps map and display data. EOS Trans AGU 72: 441, 445–446

    Google Scholar 

  • Wick GA, Emery WJ, Schlüssel P (1992) A comprehensive comparison between satellitemeasured skin and multichannel sea surface temperature. J Geophys Res 97: 5569–5595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu J (1985) On the cool skin of the ocean. Bound Lay Met 31: 203–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309-0431, USA

    Peter Schlüssel

Authors
  1. Peter Schlüssel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Atmosphärenphysik, GKSS-Forschungszentrum, D-21502, Geesthacht, Germany

    Ehrhard Raschke

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1996 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Schlüssel, P. (1996). Satellite Remote Sensing of Evaporation over Sea. In: Raschke, E. (eds) Radiation and Water in the Climate System. Nato ASI Series, vol 45. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03289-3_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03289-3_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-08261-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-03289-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation