Automated cloud base height determination from high resolution Landsat data - A Hough transform approachA direct method for determining the cloud base height derived from the displacement of the shadow from the cloud, and the solar azimuth and zenith angle is presented. Cumulus cloud scenes over land from Landsat MSS imagery are considered. The clouds are first matched with the corresponding shadows; the pixel distance of a reference point in the cloud is computed from the corresponding reference point in the shadow; and then the solar zenith angle is used to compute the cloud base height. Observations indicate that the cloud base height appears to be size-dependent with larger clouds generally associated with higher cloud bases and that clouds within the same size range and within the same scene region are approximately of the same height.
Document ID
19920031337
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Sengupta, S. K. (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, SD, United States)
Berendes, T. (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, SD, United States)
Welch, R. M. (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, SD, United States)
Navar, M. (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, United States)
Wielicki, B. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)