Large-scale earth surface thermal radiative features in space observation

•We simulate earth IR features based on retrieval from satellite sensing data.•Global-scale surface temperatures are retrieved with high resolution.•IR calculation model is analytical simplified ignoring the solar influence.•IR features were analyzed with nadir viewing angle and limb tangent height.•Comparison shows consistent, between modeling results and CERES measurements.

It is necessary to complete the earth thermal radiative modeling, since it is the most important background in space infrared observation. A new method was proposed to calculate the earth thermal infrared radiation combined with remote sensing technology. The simplified model also was proposed when the solar radiative impact is neglected properly. The practical split-window algorithm was used to retrieve the global surface temperature from MODIS data products. Integrated with MODTRAN code to calculate the atmospheric radiation and transmittance, the earth thermal infrared features were calculated in typical months. Moreover the radiance dependence on viewing angle was discussed. Through the comparison with CERES measurement results, this model has been proved effective and practicable, and that it would have a further application in space thermal environment analysis or space infrared observation technology.