Estimation of spatio-temporal distribution of precipitable water using MODIS and AVHRR data: a case study for Cyprus

摘要

In this paper, the atmospheric precipitable water (PW)over the area of Cyprus was estimated by means of Advanced Very HighResolution Radiometer (AVHRR) thermal channels brightness temperaturedifference (ΔT). The AVHRR derived ΔT was calculated in agrid of 5 × 5 km cells; the corresponding PW value in each grid cell wasextracted from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 2product (near-infrared algorithm). Once the PW – ΔTrelationship coefficients corresponding to the area of Cyprus werecalculated, the relationship was applied to AVHRR data for one month period.Radiosonde derived PW values, as well as MODIS independent PW values wereused to validate the estimations and a good agreement was noted.