A Comprehensive Dynamic Threshold Algorithm for Daytime Sea Fog Retrieval over the Chinese Adjacent Seas

Sea fog influences human activities over oceans. It is somewhat difficult to separate sea fog from marine boundary stratus (low stratus and stratocumulus) by satellites due to their microphysical similarities and shared spectral features. For the purpose of improving sea fog detection over the Chinese adjacent seas where fog is common during the spring-summer seasons, the vertical structures of fog and stratus were analyzed using ground-based soundings, resulting in the observation of very explicit discrepancies between them, in terms of TAT - SST (TAT, the temperature at tops of fog or stratus; SST, the sea surface temperature). Based on these discrepancies and on previous related studies, we suggest a comprehensive dynamic threshold algorithm. The method combines real-time brightness temperature from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer channel 31 (similar to 11 mu m) with climatological monthly mean SSTs to produce a threshold that is monthly-dependent. The retrieved results are generally consistent with the observations from meteorological stations near the coast, on islands and from ships, and the scores of validation by conventional methods are promising. The distribution patterns of the retrieved sea fog frequency in May and June from 2006 to 2010 are both compatible with that from ship-based observations and exhibit more details that are consistent with our understanding of sea fog characteristics. This study is helpful for marine weather service and the improvement of models for sea fog forecasting.