An atmospheric correction algorithm for space remote sensing data and its validation

In atmospheric correction for space remote sensing images, the atmospheric optical thickness at the time of satellite observation is critically needed and it is highly desirable to estimate this value from the satellite measured data itself. The authors present an algorithm for estimating the meteorological range in the boundary layer from the measured satellite data. From the meteorological range value the atmospheric optical thickness can be found without difficulty. In this atmospheric correction algorithm the authors consider a one-dimensional vertically inhomogeneous radiative transfer model consisting of an atmosphere bounded by a flat Lambertian surface layer with a horizontally non-uniform albedo distribution. For the validation of atmospheric correction algorithm, they have made the simultaneous ground measurements of the surface reflectance and atmospheric optical thickness with the LANDSAT TM on Dec.12, 1996. They found a good agreement between the measured and estimated albedo values in TM band 3 and 4, but it is acceptable in band 2.