One of the biggest factors to deteriorate the satellite product quality is cloud coverage. Therefore, cloud masking process is important to improve the quality of various satellite products. However, satellite-based c...One of the biggest factors to deteriorate the satellite product quality is cloud coverage. Therefore, cloud masking process is important to improve the quality of various satellite products. However, satellite-based cloud discrimination algorithm has been developing and efficient ground-based cloud observations are necessary to validate satellite-based cloud discrimination. The purpose of this study is to develop the efficient ground-based cloud observation methodology using whole sky camera. This paper deals with methods how to discriminate cloud portions on whole sky image, how to apply the ground-based cloud observation to the validations for satellite products. For the cloud discrimination on whole sky image, we propose SI （sky index） and BI （brightness index） calculated from RGB （red, green and blue） channels. SI shows the extent of the blueness and gray scale and BI indicates the extent of the brightness. Sun, cloud and blue sky portions are divided by SI and BI threshold. As an application of ground-based cloud observation for the validation of satellite products, clouds portions discriminated from whole sky image are projected onto ground surface with map coordinate. We also examine to compare with cloud portions on whole sky images and MODIS （MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer） image as one of experiments. The proposed ground-based cloud observation method and its extension to satellite-based cloud discrimination should be connected to improve the quality of satellite products.展开更多
文摘One of the biggest factors to deteriorate the satellite product quality is cloud coverage. Therefore, cloud masking process is important to improve the quality of various satellite products. However, satellite-based cloud discrimination algorithm has been developing and efficient ground-based cloud observations are necessary to validate satellite-based cloud discrimination. The purpose of this study is to develop the efficient ground-based cloud observation methodology using whole sky camera. This paper deals with methods how to discriminate cloud portions on whole sky image, how to apply the ground-based cloud observation to the validations for satellite products. For the cloud discrimination on whole sky image, we propose SI （sky index） and BI （brightness index） calculated from RGB （red, green and blue） channels. SI shows the extent of the blueness and gray scale and BI indicates the extent of the brightness. Sun, cloud and blue sky portions are divided by SI and BI threshold. As an application of ground-based cloud observation for the validation of satellite products, clouds portions discriminated from whole sky image are projected onto ground surface with map coordinate. We also examine to compare with cloud portions on whole sky images and MODIS （MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer） image as one of experiments. The proposed ground-based cloud observation method and its extension to satellite-based cloud discrimination should be connected to improve the quality of satellite products.
