Characterization of land surface properties of active dust sources using MODIS and MISR data.

Atmospheric mineral dust is an important component of the climate system. However, prediction of dust events has been proven difficult. One problem is quantifying the extent and strength of individual dust sources. The latter depends on the meteorological conditions as well as on land surface properties. Given that dust sources exhibit a complex geographical distribution and that the surface reflectivity depends on land surface characteristics, satellite remote sensing has the potential to aid in determining the land properties needed for dust emission modeling. This study uses spectral directional reflectance data from the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) to explore the regional signature of selected active dust producing areas. The goal is to establish temporal profiles of off-nadir reflected signatures for dust source areas and their adjacent regions. Temporal changes in the reflectance signatures will be investigated to establish signature change as a function of soil type, composition and texture. Sources of variance will be examined, and correlation to surface conditions, soil type boundaries and sampling issues will be investigated.