MODIS Aerosol Optical Thickness Product Algorithm Verification and Analysis

A Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical thickness inversion algorithm has been rapidly developed in recent years, forming various representative aerosol optical thickness remote sensing products. Typical inversion algorithms include Dark Target, Dark Target-Deep Blue (DTB), and the high-spatial-resolution aerosol retrieval algorithm based on a priori land surface (HARLS). Both DTB and HARLS can realise aerosol optical depth inversion over land worldwide, but their accuracy and space-time adaptability vary. In this study, 80 Aerosol Robotic Network data worldwide were selected as the evaluation basis to quantitatively analyse and verify the adaptability and accuracy of different aerosol inversion algorithms on various underlying surfaces. The results indicate that the DTB algorithm has a higher inversion accuracy in vegetation area, whereas HARLS algorithm performs better in urban area; the HARLS and DTB algorithm accuracies in desert area type were found to be similar. The results provide a basis for selecting appropriate aerosol optical thickness remote sensing products for different applications.