Applying the Dark Target Aerosol Algorithm to MERSI-Ⅱ:Retrieval and Validation of Aerosol Optical Depth over the Ocean

The Medium-Resolution Spectral Imager-Ⅱ(MERSI-Ⅱ)instrument aboard China’s Fengyun-3D satellite shares similarities with NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)sensor,enabling the retrieval of global aerosol optical depth(AOD).However,no officially released operational MERSI-Ⅱ aerosol products currently exist over the ocean.This study focuses on adapting the MODIS dark target(DT)ocean algorithm to the MERSI-Ⅱ sensor.A retrieval test is conducted on the 2019 MERSI-Ⅱ data over the global ocean,and the retrieved AODs are validated against ground-based measurements from the automatic Aerosol Robotic Network(AERONET)and the shipborne Maritime Aerosol Network(MAN).The operational MODIS DT aerosol products are also used for comparison purposes.The results show that MERSI-Ⅱ AOD granule retrievals are in good agreement with MODIS products,boasting high correlation coefficients(R)of up to 0.96 and consistent spatial distribution trends.Furthermore,the MERSI-Ⅱ retrievals perform well in comparison to AERONET and MAN measurements,with high R-values(>0.86).However,the low-value retrievals from MERSI-Ⅱ tend to be slightly overestimated compared to MODIS,despite both AODs displaying a positive bias.Notably,the monthly gridded AODs over the high latitudes of the northern and southern hemispheres suggest that MERSI-Ⅱ exhibits greater stability in space and time,effectively reducing unrealistically high-value noise in the MODIS products.These results illustrate that the MERSI-Ⅱ retrievals meet specific accuracy requirements by maintaining the algorithmic framework and most of the algorithmic assumptions,providing a crucial data supplement for aerosol studies and climate change.