A new method of satellite-based haze aerosol monitoring over the North China Plain and a comparison with MODIS Collection 6 aerosol products

• A new method for haze aerosol monitoring from satellite is proposed.
• 12 years AERONET data are collected to assist haze aerosol retrieval.
• This method can work not only on hazy days but also on normal weather days.

With worldwide urbanization, hazy weather has been increasingly frequent, especially in the North China Plain. However, haze aerosol monitoring remains a challenge. In this paper, MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) measurements were used to develop an enhanced haze aerosol retrieval algorithm (EHARA). This method can work not only on hazy days but also on normal weather days. Based on 12-year (2002–2014) Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) aerosol property data, empirical single scattering albedo (SSA) and asymmetry factor (AF) values were chosen to assist haze aerosol retrieval. For validation, EHARA aerosol optical thickness (AOT) values, along with MODIS Collection 6 (C6) dark-pixel and deep blue aerosol products, were compared with AERONET data. The results show that the EHARA can achieve greater AOT spatial coverage under hazy conditions with a high accuracy (73% within error range) and work a higher resolution (1-km). Additionally, this paper presents a comprehensive discussion of the differences between and limitations of the EHARA and the MODIS C6 DT land algorithms.