Residual errors in ASTER temperature and emissivity standard products AST08 and AST05

Land surface temperature and emissivity are independent variables, and the thermal-infrared spectral radiance measured in remote sensing is dependent on both. Therefore the inverse Planck equation is under-determined, with two unknowns and a single measurement. Practical inversion algorithms designed to calculate temperature and emissivity from the measurements cannot do a perfect job of separation, and recovered temperature and emissivity may co-vary. For ASTER images, validation studies of recovered temperature and emissivity, regarded individually, have shown that they are within the precision and accuracy limits predicted in designing the ASTER TES algorithm used to calculate the standard products AST05 and AST08. Nevertheless, a closer look at emissivity recovered for water targets shows that emissivity appears to vary, incorrectly, as a function of temperature. One cause of this is electronic striping; another is incomplete characterization of atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles used in compensation for atmospheric absorption and path radiance. The linkage varies from band to band, with the greatest emissivity effect of − 0.0003 K− 1 for ASTER band 12 (9.1 μm) relative to band 13 (10.6 μm). Although this inaccuracy in emissivity is small, it can approach or exceed the inaccuracy prediction of ± 0.015 for the standard product when the entire gamut of terrestrial water and land temperatures is examined. Therefore, spatial filtering and upgrading the atmosphere compensation algorithm to use water-vapor scaling should be considered in making AST05 and AST08.

► ASTER emissivities vary systematically and incorrectly with surface temperature. ► The variation is due to striping and incomplete atmospheric compensation. ► The errors are at about the level predicted from measurement and calibration errors. ► The errors result in warping of the spectra and color inconsistencies in images. ► Improved atmospheric compensation and striping suppression can reduce the problem.