Retrieval of surface albedo from satellite sensors

Observations from a number of polar-orbiting and geostationary satellite sensors are now being used to produce operational land surface albedo products for range of modeling applications. The MODIS, MISR and Meteosat algorithms are presented as examples of the current strategies being employed to best exploit multi-day sequential, multi-angular instantaneous, and multi-temporal observations and accurately specify the reflective qualities of the underlying surface. While these retrievals represent a major advance in the remote sensing of the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the surface, issues such as atmospheric correction, directional-to-hemispherical conversion, and spectral interpolation remain to confound the satellite signal and introduce uncertainties and variability within and between products. Nevertheless, the potential of using multiple products and fusing recent observations with remotely sensed historical data must be explored as a realistic way to meet the needs of the modeling community.