Correlating MODIS Observations and Corresponding AERONET Stations in the United States

Aerosols affect the quality of the air we breathe, and impact our changing climate. Thus, it is important that we study and understand them. Validating the accuracy of an instrument is essential for research; without the accuracy of measurements, there is little purpose for study. This study will use the atmospheric optical thickness (AOT) data collected by the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) to validate the AOT data retreived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on both the Terra and Aqua satellites. Comparisons at several AERONET sites in North America will be shown.