The determination of the atmospheric optical thickness over Western Europe using SeaWiFS imagery

The first results obtained from the aerosol-cloud retrieval algorithm (developed at the University of Bremen) are presented. The algorithm enables the observation of the regional characteristics of aerosol and cloud optical thickness both over land and ocean surfaces. The aerosol and cloud optical thickness over Western Europe is derived from the high-resolution SeaWiFS data for October 11, 2001 (11:30 UTC). The most probable value of the aerosol optical thickness was found to be equal approximately 0.25. The frequency distributions of the aerosol and cloud optical thickness are skewed and have long tails for larger optical thickness. It was found that retrieved values of the aerosol optical thickness at wavelengths 0.412 and 0.440 μm are close to those measured by five ground-based instruments placed at different locations. The problems related to the retrieval of the atmospheric optical thickness from space are discussed.