Using Multi-Angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) bidirectional reflectances for land surface studies

MISR imagery enables new methods for cloud screening and retrieval of aerosol properties over a wide range of surface types, and these data are used to compensate for atmospheric effects in the surface retrievals. The derived surface angular signatures are governed, at least in part, by macroscopic texture at the subpixel scale. Such information complements spectral data in distinguishing different types of surface cover, retrieving land surface hemispherical reflectance,and determining biogeophysical properties such as leaf area index and fractional absorbed photosynthetically active radiation. Regional and global MISR data products will be presented to illustrate the capabilities of the instrument andassociated retrieval methodologies.