Estimation of broadband surface emissivity from narrowband emissivities

This work analyzed and addressed the estimate of the broadband emissivities for the spectral domains 3-14 mu m (epsilon(3-14)) and 3-infinity mu m (epsilon(3-infinity)). Two linear narrow-to-broadband conversion models were proposed to estimate broadband emissivities epsilon(3-14) and epsilon(3-infinity) using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived emissivities in three thermal infrared channels 29 (8.4-8.7 mu m), 31 (10.78-11.28 mu m) and 32 (11.77-12.27 mu m). Two independent spectral libraries, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) spectral library and the MODIS UCSB (University of California, Santa Barbara) emissivity library, were used to calibrate and validate the proposed models. Comparisons of the estimated broadband emissivities using the proposed models and the calculated values from the spectral libraries, showed that the proposed method of estimation of broadband emissivity has potential accuracy and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between estimated and calculated broadband emissivities is less than 0.01 for both epsilon(3-14) and epsilon(3-infinity). (C) 2010 Optical Society of America