Relating MODIS-derived surface albedo to soils and rock types over Northern Africa and the Arabian peninsula

摘要: [1] We use the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard Terra spacecraft to derive surface albedo for arid areas of Northern Africa and Arabian peninsula. Albedo in seven MODIS spectral bands land three broad (for shortwave, near infrared, visible portions spectrum) is produced. Surface derived from observations during a sixteen-day period analyzed at 1 km spatial resolution. data show considerable variability study region that related soil geological characteristics surface. For example, solar shortwave white-sky varies by factor about 2.5 darkest volcanic terrains brightest sand sheets. Vegetation contribution reflectance essentially negligible since we only considered pixels with under 10 percent fractional canopy cover. Few, if any, coupled land-atmosphere global or regional models capture this observed albedo. Here suggest scheme relates groups (based on United Nations Food Agriculture Organization, FAO, classification) rock types States Geological Survey, USGS, maps) statistics. This approach first step towards incorporation reflective properties into climate models.