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The Potential for Collocated AGLP and ERBE Data for Fire, Smoke, and Radiation Budget StudiesOne month of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Global Area Coverage (GAC) Land Pathfinder (AGLP) data from September 1985 are used to examine the spatial and temporal distribution of fires over four major ecosystems in South America. The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanner data are used to examine the top of atmosphere (TOA) shortwave and longwave fluxes over smoke generated from biomass burning. The relationship between the AGLP-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the ERBE-estimated clear sky albedos are also examined as a function of the four ecosystems. This study shows that the grassland areas in South America have the highest number of tires for September 1985, and their corresponding NDVI values are smaller than the tropical rainforest region where the number of fires were comparatively small. Clear sky statistics accumulated during the days when smoke was not present show that clear sky albedos derived from ERBE are higher for grassland areas when compared to the tropical rainforest. The results show that the AGLP can be used to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of fires along with vegetation characteristics, while ERBE data can provide necessary information on broadband albedos and regional top of atmosphere radiative impacts of biomass burning aerosols. Since the AGLP data are available from 1981 to the present day, several climate-related issues can be addressed.
Document ID
19990036491
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Christopher, S. A.
(South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, SD United States)
Chou, J.
(South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, SD United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1997
Publication Information
Publication: International Journal of Remote Sensing
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd.
Volume: 18
Issue: 12
ISSN: 0143-1161
Subject Category
Environment Pollution
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGw-3966
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGw-3740
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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