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Limitations and capabilities of the NOAA satellite advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) for remote sensing of the Earth's surface |
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| Authors: | Oscar Karl Huh |
| Institution: | Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA |
| Abstract: | The advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) is an operational, high-quality, crosstrack, line-scanning multispectral radiometer. Its data at 1.1 km maximum spatial resolution, 2800 km swath width and five spectral bands have widespread applications in meteorology, oceanography, climatology, agriculture, hydrology, forestry and many other disciplines. Two AVHRR are maintained in continuous operational mode, borne by two National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar orbiting satellites. Particularly valuable is the fact that this operational system provides imagery of all parts of the globe at least four times daily, large portions of which are archived centrally in several data centers around the world. Historical data are available back to 1985. As a remote sensing system, the NOAA/TIROS-N satellites are arguably one of the most successful and extensively used components of the US space program. Through the direct-broadcast system, environmental data from the AVHRR and other sensors have been made available around the world to properly equipped users of all nations. The data are broadcast in two modes, automatic picture transmission (APT, low-cost, low-resolution, two-channel data) and high resolution picture transmission (HRPT, full resolution, all channels and other sensor data). The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe the system, outlining its limitations and capabilities, to help potential new users keep their expectations within realistic levels. There are five categories of limitations on the utility of the AVHRR data for Earth surface applications: (1) spatial resolution and its space-time variability; (2) atmospheric effects on measurements; (3) no in-flight calibration of visible and near-infrared sensors; (4) special problems with the mid-infrared sensor; (5) the wide spectral sensitivity bands of the data channels. |
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