Remote sensing of cloud cover in the high altitude region from MTSAT-1R data during the Hei´he experiment

Cloud cover detection is an essential step for the retrieval of solar radiation using geostationary satellite imageries. To obtain the accurate estimates of cloud cover of MTSAT-1R image, a multispectral threshold technique which makes take use of all five spectral channels of MTSAT-1R was developed. The algorithm has been applied to detect cloud and snow areas in the high altitude region of the northwest of China, during the Watershed Airborne Telemetry Experimental Research (WATER) experiment in the Heihe River Basin. The remote sensing of cloud cover was validated by the ground-observed cloud cover fraction. The results indicated that the multispectral threshold method performed satisfied.