Retrieval algorithm for optical parameters of aerosol using polarized remote sensing

The upwelling radiances at the top of the atmosphere consist of both atmospheric scattering and ground surface reflection. In general, the latter is larger than the former over the land. This makes the extraction of aerosols over land very difficult. It is known that polarization features strongly depend on characteristics of scattering particles. So it is efficient that to retrieve the aerosol characteristics over land area by using this polarization information. Based on the theory of vector radiative transfer algorithms, the relationship of the aerosol's properties with parameters in the vector radiative transfer mode was analyzed and the algorithm of look-up table method was confirmed. Using the multi-angle data of polarization and radiance of the polarization and directionality of the earth's reflectances (POLDER), an algorithm that estimates the aerosol optical properties and surface albedo was developed based on radiance and polarization look-up table with an iterative method. The aerosol optical thickness, efficient radius, refractive index and surface albedo over the Beijing, Xianghe and Dalanzadgad stations were retrieved. The obtained results were validated with the aerosol robotic network (AERONET) measurements.