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1206 Vol. 55, No. 6 / February 20 2016 / Applied Optics Research Article...

Lin, Z., W. Li, C. Gatebe, R. Poudyal, and K. Stamnes (2016), 1206 Vol. 55, No. 6 / February 20 2016 / Applied Optics Research Article Radiative transfer simulations of the two-dimensional ocean glint reflectance and determination of the sea surface roughness, Appl. Opt., 55, 2016.
Abstract: 

Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, Maryland 20146, USA

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Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, Maryland 20706, USA

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NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA An optimized discrete-ordinate radiative transfer model (DISORT3) with a pseudo-two-dimensional bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is used to simulate and validate ocean glint reflectances at an infrared wavelength (1036 nm) by matching model results with a complete set of BRDF measurements obtained from the NASA cloud absorption radiometer (CAR) deployed on an aircraft. The surface roughness is then obtained through a retrieval algorithm and is used to extend the simulation into the visible spectral range where diffuse reflectance becomes important. In general, the simulated reflectances and surface roughness information are in good agreement with the measurements, and the diffuse reflectance in the visible, ignored in current glint algorithms, is shown to be important. The successful implementation of this new treatment of ocean glint reflectance and surface roughness in DISORT3 will help improve glint correction algorithms in current and

Research Program: 
Carbon Cycle & Ecosystems Program (CCEP)
Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program (OBB)
Radiation Science Program (RSP)