Retrieval of aerosol optical properties from OMI radiances using a multiwavelength algorithm: Application to western Europe

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) multiwavelength algorithm has been developed to retrieve aerosol optical depth using OMI-measured reflectance at the top of the atmosphere. This algorithm was further developed by using surface reflectance data from a field campaign in Cabauw (The Netherlands), a new cloud-screening method, and a global aerosol database derived from the aerosol transport model TM5. The first results from an application of this algorithm over western Europe are presented. The OMI-retrieved aerosol optical depth is evaluated by comparison with both ground-based measurements from Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data. The various aerosol optical depth values compare favorably, except in situations where large changes occur in the surface properties, which is illustrated over the Iberian peninsula. OMI and MODIS aerosol optical depth are well correlated (with a correlation coefficient of 0.66 over land and 0.79 over sea), although the multiwavelength algorithm appears to overestimate the aerosol optical depth values with respect to MODIS. The multiwavelength algorithm performs better over sea than over land. Qualitatively, the multiwavelength algorithm well reproduces the expected spatial aerosol optical depth gradient over western Europe.