Sea surface temperature retrieval from HY-1D COCTS observations

Abstract

The Haiyang-1D (HY-1D) satellite is an operational ocean satellite, and the Chinese Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (COCTS) onboard it can be used for sea surface temperature (SST) observations. In this study, the SST retrieval algorithm was based on atmospheric radiative transfer modelling using 11μm and 12μm channel brightness temperature (BT). Representative ERA5 profiles containing SST and atmospheric state information were selected, which were used as the inputs for the BT simulation by MODerate resolution atmospheric TRANsmission (MODTRAN). The COCTS BT were inter-calibrated with the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) BT before applying to the SST retrieval algorithm. The cloud detection was performed using COCTS visible and infrared channel data, retrieved COCTS SST, and the reference SST. The global COCTS SST was retrieved in this study. The comparisons between the retrieved SST and Infrared Sea surface temperature Autonomous Radiometer (ISAR) as well as the buoy data were carried out. The results are analysed to investigate the accuracy of the algorithms.