APPLICATIONS OF MODERATE-RESOLUTION REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGIES FOR SURFACE AIR POLLUTION MONITORING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

• Main Author: Bridhikitti, Arika
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Clemson University Libraries 2011
• Subjects: Aerosol radiative forcing potential; Aerosol Robotic Network; Atmospheric ozone; Biomass burning aerosols; NASA's Earth Observing System Satellites; Southeast Asian air pollution; Environmental Engineering
• Online Access: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/737; https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1737&context=all_dissertations

Retrievals from Earth observation satellites are widely used for many applications, including analyzing dynamic lands and measuring atmospheric components. This research aims to evaluate appropriateness of using satellite retrievals to facilitate understanding characteristics of Southeast Asian (SEA) surface air pollution, attributed to regional biomass burnings and urban activities. The studies in this dissertation focused on using satellite retrievals for 1) mapping potential SEA air pollution sources; which are forests, rice paddies, and urban areas, 2) understanding dynamic optical characteristics of SEA biomass-burning aerosols, and 3) inferring surface ozone level. Data used in this study were from three NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites, which are Terra, Aqua, and Aura. These retrievals have spatial resolution ranging from hundred meters to ten kilometers. Algorithms used for the SEA land cover classification were developed using time-series analyses of surface reflectance in multiple wavelength bands from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite. Comparing the results to national statistical databases, good agreement was obtained for spatial estimation of forest areas after correction with plantation areas. For estimation of rice paddies areas, the agreement depended on the rice ecosystems. It was good for rainfed rice and poor for deepwater rice. Models for irrigated and upland rice areas showed overall high coefficients of determination, suggesting that they effectively simulated the spatial distribution of those rice paddies; but were prone to underestimate and overestimate, respectively. Estimated SEA regional rice area was 42×106 ha, which agrees with previous published values. Analysis of the satellite retrieval could identify large urban areas. However, the satellite-derived urban areas also incorrectly included large sandy beaches. Optical properties of SEA background aerosols were investigated through the multivariate analyses of long-term ...