Quick atmospheric correction code: algorithm description and recent upgrades

The quick atmospheric correction (QUAC) code performs atmospheric correction on multi-and hyperspectral imagery spanning all or part of the visible and near infrared-short wave infrared spectral range, similar to 400 - 2500 nm. It utilizes an in-scene approach, requiring only approximate specification of sensor band locations (i.e., central wavelengths) and their radiometric calibration; no additional metadata is required. Because QUAC does not involve first principles radiative-transfer calculations, it is significantly faster than physics-based methods; however, it is also more approximate. We present a detailed description of the QUAC algorithm, highlighting recent accuracy improvements. Example results for several multi-and hyperspectral data sets are presented, and comparisons are made to more rigorous correction approaches. (C) 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). [DOI: 10.1117/1.OE.51.11.111719]