Retrieval of Aerosol Optical Depth for Chongqing Using the HJ-1 Satellite Data

Aerosol optical depth (AOD) is a common indicator applied in monitoring aerosols in the atmosphere. The hilly landscape and rapid economic growth of the megacity Chongqing have facilitated increased aerosol concentration, and it is meaningful to accurately retrieve AOD over Chongqing. The HJ-1A/B satellite of China carries a sensor/camera called the Charge Coupled Device (CCD), the spatial resolution of which meets the requirement for retrieving high resolution AOD. In this paper, analysis of the AOD retrievals from different methods using the HJ-1 satellite data revealed the most suitable algorithm. Through comparison with the AOD product of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the AOD retrieval results using enhanced vegetation index (EVI) to estimate dark pixels showed the highest correlation. The continental aerosol model was used to build a lookup table that was able to facilitate a good AOD retrieval for both city and rural areas. Finally, the algorithm that combined dark pixels, buffer areas, and the deep blue algorithm was found to be most suitable for AOD retrieval. The AOD retrieval results based on the HJ-1 data were consistent with MODIS products, and our algorithm yields reasonable results in most cases. The results were also compared with ground-based PM10 measurements synchronized with the overpass time of the HJ-1 satellite, and high correlation was found. The findings are relevant to other Chinese satellite data used for retrieving AOD on the same channels.