People

Bo-Cai Gao
Email | Website
Remote Sensing Division, Naval Research Laboratory

ROSES Proposal

Hyperspectral and Multispectral Atmospheric Correction Algorithms for Supporting the NASA PACE Mission (2013)

At the core of the PACE mission is an advanced optical instrument, the Ocean Color Imager (OCI), designed to provide hyperspectral ultra violet (UV), to visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) and multi-spectral short-wave infrared (SWIR 1.0 - 2.5 micron) observations of the earth ecosystems. We propose to join the PACE Atmospheric Correction team, to work together with other team members in developing hyperspectral and multispectral atmospheric correction algorithms to retrieve water leaving reflectances from OCI radiance measurements. We have extensive experience developing atmospheric correction algorithms. In early 1990s, we developed the first model-based land version of hyperspectral atmospheric correction algorithm (nicknamed ATREM) (Gao et al., RSE, 1993) to support the NASA HIRIS (High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) Project. In late 1990s, we developed an ocean version of hyperspectral atmospheric correction algorithm for the Navy (Gao et al., Applied Optics, 2000), which was based on Robert Fraser's formulation (Fraser et al., JGR, 1997). In early 2000s, with funding support from the NASA SIMBIOS Project, we modified the ocean version of the hyperspectral atmospheric correction algorithm, and developed a MODIS version of multi-channel algorithm for remote sensing of water leaving reflectances over turbid coastal waters (Gao et al., IEEE TGRS, 2007) from a combination of MODIS land and ocean channels. A SWIR spectrum-matching technique using MODIS channels centered at 1.24, 1.64, and 2.13 micron was used to estimate aerosol models and optical depths. More recently we developed a VIIRS version of coastal water atmospheric correction algorithm. The VIIRS channels centered at 1.24, 1.61, and 2.25 micron with proper modeling of atmospheric CO2 and CH4 absorption effects and a SWIR spectrum-matching technique were used for atmospheric corrections. Over the past 6 years, we have supported the HICO (Hyperspectral Imager for Coastal Ocean) Project. We developed the L1B software for converting raw digital numbers to L1B radiances with proper consideration for instrument artifacts, such as spectral smear and second order light. We developed spectrum-matching algorithms for refining HICO wavelength calibrations and for monitoring the stability of the HICO instrument with time. We developed a functional version of atmospheric correction algorithm for processing HICO data. Here we propose to use our experience in hyperspectral and multi-channel algorithm development and in analysis of AVIRIS, MODIS, VIIRS, and HICO data, to help the development of atmospheric correction algorithms for processing PACE OCI data, and support the spectral and radiometric calibrations of the hyperspectral portion of the OCI instrument. We would work together with other PACE atmospheric correction team members for the design and implementation of a consensus OCI atmospheric correction algorithm.

Science Meeting Presentations (9)

FastMAPOL: An Efficient Multi-angle Polarimetric Algorithm for Simultaneous Aerosol and Ocean Color Retrievals Powered by Deep Learning

Gao, M. (06-Oct-21)

PDF (544 KB)

Land and Ocean Versions of ATREM Codes for Processing Hyperspectral Imaging Data Sets

Gao, B-C. and Li, R-R. (16-Jan-18)

PDF (1.4 MB)

PACE Atmospheric Correction Focusing on Adaptation of NASA’s Heritage Algorithm

Franz, B., Ibrahim, A., Ahmad, Z., Gao, B-C., and Zhai, P. (16-Jan-18)

PDF (2.1 MB)

Land and Ocean Versions of ATREM Codes for Processing AVIRIS-Simulated PACE Proxy Data

Gao, B-C. and Li, R-R. (17-Jan-17). Click here to view this presentation with audio.

PDF (7.6 MB)

PACE Atmospheric Correction Focusing on Adaptation of NASA’s Heritage Algorithm

Franz, B., Ibrahim, A., Ahmad, Z., Healy, R., and Gao, B-C. (17-Jan-17)

PDF (10.2 MB)

PACE Science Team: Atmospheric Correction over Bright Water Targets with Non-negligible Radiances in the Near Infrared

Dierssen, H., Randolph, K., Garaba, S., Zhai, P., and Gao, B-C. (17-Jan-17)

PDF (11.7 MB)

Hyperspectral and Multispectral Atmospheric Correction Algorithms for Supporting the NASA PACE Mission

Gao, B-C. and Li, R-R. (21-Jan-16)

PDF (6.3 MB)

Implementing Heritage AC Algorighm for Hyperspectral Rrs Retrieval

Ibraham, A., Franz, B., Ahmad, Z., Healy, R., and Gao, B-C. (21-Jan-16)

PDF (2.4 MB)

Hyperspectral and Multispectral Atmospheric Correction Algorithms Supporting the NASA PACE Mission

Gao, B-C. (14-Jan-15)

PDF (4.5 MB)

Publications (34)

Remer, L.A., Davis, A.B., Mattoo, S., Levy, R.C., Kalashnikova, O.V., Coddington, O., Chowdhary, J., Knobelspiesse, K., Xu, X., Ahmad, Z., Boss, E., Cairns, B., Dierssen, H.M., Diner, D.J., Franz, B., Frouin, R., Gao, B-C., Ibrahim, A., Martins, J.V., Omar, A.H., Torres, O., Xu, F., and Zhai, P-W. (2019). Retrieving Aerosol Characteristics From the PACE Mission, Part 1: Ocean Color Instrument, Front. Earth Sci., 7, 152, doi: 10.3389/feart.2019.00152.

Frontiers

Remer, L.A., Knobelspiesse, K., Zhai, P-W., Xu, F., Kalashnikova, O.V., Chowdhary, J., Hasekamp, O., Dubovik, O., Wu, L., Ahmad, Z., Boss, E., Cairns, B., Coddington, O., Davis, A.B., Dierssen, H.M., Diner, D.J., Franz, B., Frouin, R., Gao, B-C., Ibrahim, A., Levy, R.C., Martins, J.V., Omar, A.H., and Torres, Om (2019). Retrieving Aerosol Characteristics From the PACE Mission, Part 2: Multi-Angle and Polarimetry, Front. Earth Sci., 7, 94, doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2019.00094.

Frontiers

Frouin, R.J., Franz, B.A., Ibrahim, A., Knobelspiesse, K., Ahmad, Z., Cairns, B., Chowdhary, J., Dierssen, H.M., Tan, J., Dubovik, O., Huang, X., Davis, A.B., Kalashnikova, O., Thompson, D.R., Remer, L.A., Boss, E., Coddington, O., Deschamps, P-Y., Gao, B-C., Gross, L., Hasekamp, O., Omar, A., Pelletier, B., Ramon, D., Steinmetz, F., and Zhai, P-W. (2019). Atmospheric Correction of Satellite Ocean-Color Imagery During the PACE Era, Front. Earth Sci., 7, 145, doi: 10.3389/feart.2019.00145.

Frontiers

Ibrahim, A., Franz, B., Ahmad, Z., Healy, R., Knobelspiesse, K., Gao, B.-C., Proctor, C., and Zhai, P.-W. (2017). Atmospheric Correction for Hyperspectral Ocean Color Retrieval with Application to the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO), Rem. Sens. Envir., 204, 60-75, doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2017.10.041.

Elsevier

Dierssen, H.M., McManus, G., Chlus, A., Qiu, D., Gao, B.-C., and Lin, S. (2015). Space Station Image Captures a Red Tide Ciliate Bloom at High Spectral and Spatial Resolution, Proc. National Acad. Sci., 112 (48), 14783-14787.

PNAS

Thompson, D.R., Gao, B.-C., Green, R.O., Roberts, D.A., Dennison, P.E., and Lundeen, S.R. (2015). Atmospheric Correction for Global Mapping Spectroscopy: ATREM Advances for the Hyspiri Preparatory Campaign, Remote Sens. Environ., 167, 64-77, doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2015.02.010.

ScienceDirect

Thompson, D.R., Seidel, F.C, Gao, B.-C., Gierach, M.M., Green, R.O., Kudela, R.M., and Mouroulis, P. (2015). Optimizing Irradiance Estimates for Coastal and Inland Water Imaging Spectroscopy, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42(10), 4116-4123, doi: 10.1002/2015GL063287.

AGU

Mouroulis, P., Gorp, B., Green, R., Dierssen, H., Wilson, D., Eastwood, M., Boardman, J., Gao, B., Cohen, C., Franklin, B., Loya, F., Lundeen, S., Mazer, A., McCubbin, I., Randall, D., Richardson, B., Rodriguez, J., Sarture, C., Urquiza, E., Vargas, R., White, V., and Yee, K. (2014). The Portable Remote Imaging Spectrometer (PRISM) Coastal Ocean Sensor: Characteristics and First Flight Results, Appl. Opt., 53(7), 1363-1380, doi: 10.1364/AO.53.001363.

OSA

Gao, B.-C. and Liu, M. (2013). A Fast Smoothing Algorithm for Post-Processing of Surface Reflectance Spectra Retrieved from Airborne Imaging Spectrometer Data, Sensors, 13(10), 13879-13891, doi: 10.3390/s131013879.

MDPI

Gao, B.-C. and Chen, W. (2012). Multispectral Decomposition for the Removal of Out-Of-Band Effects of Visible/Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Visible and Near-Infrared Bands, Appl Opt., 51(18), 4078-4086, doi: 10.1364/AO.51.004078.

OSA

Gao, B.-C., Li, R.-R., Lucke, R.L., Davis, C.O., Bevilacqua, R.M., Korwan, D.R., Montes, M.J., Bowles, J.H., and Corson, M.R. (2012). Vicarious Calibrations of HICO Data Acquired from the International Space Station, Appl. Opt., 51(14), 2559-2567, doi: 10.1364/AO.51.002559.

OSA

Gao, B.-C. and Li, R.R. (2012). Removal of Thin Cirrus Scattering Effects for Remote Sensing of Ocean Color from Space, IEEE Geosci. Remote S., 9(5), 972-976, doi: 10.1109/LGRS.2012.2187876.

IEEE

Li, R.-R., Lucke, R., Korwan, D., and Gao, B.-C. (2011). A Technique for Removing Second-Order Light Effects from Hyperspectral Imaging Data, IEEE Geosci. Remote S., 50(3), 824-830, doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2011.2163161.

IEEE

Gitelson, A.A., Gao, B.-C., Li, R.-R., Berdnikov, S., and Saprygin, V. (2011). Estimation of Chlorophyll-a Concentration in Productive Turbid Waters Using a Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean - The Azov Sea Case Study, Environ. Res. Lett., 6(2), 024023, doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/6/2/024023.

IOP

Lee, J., Yang, P., Dessler, A.E., Gao, B.-C., and Platnick, S. (2009). Distribution and Radiative Forcing of Tropical Thin Cirrus Clouds, J. Atmos. Sci., 66(12), 3721-3731, doi: 10.1175/2009JAS3183.1.

AMS

Gao, B.-C., Montes, M.J., Davis, C.O., and Goetz, A.F.H. (2009). Atmospheric Correction Algorithms for Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Data of Land and Ocean, Remote Sens. Environ., 113(1), S17-S24, doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2007.12.015.

ScienceDirect

Meyer, K., Platnick, S., Yang, P., and Gao, B.-C. (2009). Cirrus Cloud Optical Thickness from Reflectance Measurements in the MODIS 1.38 µm Channel, AIP Conf. Proc., 1100, 404, doi: 10.1063/1.3117005.

AIP

Meyer, K., Yang, P., and Gao, B.-C. (2007). Tropical Ice Cloud Optical Depth, Ice Water Path, and Frequency Fields Inferred from the MODIS Level-3 Data, Atmos. Res., 85(2), 171-182, doi: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2006.09.009.

ScienceDirect

Gao, B.-C., Montes, M.J., Li, R.-R., Dierssen, H.M., and Davis, C.O. (2007). An Atmospheric Correction Algorithm for Remote Sensing of Bright Coastal Waters Using MODIS Land and Ocean Channels in the Solar Spectral Region, IEEE Geosci. Remote S., 45(6), 1835-1843, doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2007.895949.

IEEE

Gao, B.-C., Montes, M.J., and Davis, C.O. (2004). Refinement of Wavelength Calibrations of Hyperspectral Imaging Data Using a Spectrum-Matching Technique, Remote Sens. Environ., 90(4), 424-433, doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2003.09.002.

ScienceDirect

Meyer, K., Yang, P., and Gao, B.-C. (2004). Optical Thickness of Tropical Cirrus Clouds Derived from the MODIS 0.66 and 1.375-µm Channels, IEEE Geosci. Remote S., 42(4), 833-841, doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2003.818939.

IEEE

Gao, B.-C. and Kaufman, Y.J. (2003). Water Vapor Retrievals Using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) Near-IR Channels, J. Geophys. Res., 108(D13), 4389-4398, doi: 10.1029/2002JD003023.

AGU

Li, R.-R., Kaufman, Y.J., Gao, B.-C., and Davis, C.O. (2003). Remote Sensing of Suspended Sediments and Shallow Coastal Waters, IEEE Geosci. Remote S., 41(3), 559-566, doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2003.810227.

IEEE

King, M.D., Menzel, W.P., Kaufman, Y.J., Tanré, D., Gao, B.-C., Platnick, S., Ackerman, S.A., Remer, L.A., Pincus, R., and Hubanks, P.A. (2003). Cloud and Aerosol Properties, Precipitable Water, and Profiles of Temperature and Water Vapor from MODIS, IEEE Geosci. Remote S., 41(2), 442-458, doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2002.808226.

IEEE

Gao, B.-C., Kaufman, Y.J., Tanré, D., and Li, R.-R. (2002). Distinguishing Tropospheric Aerosols from Thin Cirrus Clouds for Improved Aerosol Retrievals Using the Ratio of 1.38-µm and 1.24-µm Channels, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(18), 1890, doi: 10.1029/2002GL015475.

AGU

Gao, B.-C., Yang, P., Han, W., Li, R.-R., and Wiscombe, W.J. (2002). An Algorithm Using Visible and 1.38-µm Channels to Retrieve Cirrus Cloud Reflectances from Aircraft and Satellite Data, IEEE Geosci. Remote S., 40(8), 1659-1668, doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2002.802454.

IEEE

Gao, B.-C. and Li, R.-R. (2000). Quantitative Improvement in the Estimates of NDVI Values from Remotely Sensed Data by Correcting Thin Cirrus Scattering Effects, Remote Sens. Env., 74(3), 494-502, doi: 10.1016/S0034-4257(00)00141-3.

ScienceDirect

Gao, B.-C., Montes, M.J., Ahmad, Z. and Davis, C.O. (2000). Atmospheric Correction Algorithm for Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Ocean Color from Space, Appl. Opt., 39(6), 887-896, doi: 10.1364/AO.39.000887.

OSA

Gao, B.-C., Kaufman, Y.J., Han, W., and Wiscombe, W.J. (1998). Correction of Thin Cirrus Path Radiance in the 0.4 - 1.0 µm Spectral Region Using the Sensitive 1.375-µm Cirrus Detecting Channel, J. Geophys. Res., 103(D24), 32169-32176, doi: 10.1029/98JD02006.

AGU

Gao, B.-C. (1996). NDWI - A Normalized Difference Water Index for Remote Sensing of Vegetation Liquid Water from Space, Remote Sens. Environ., 58(3), 257-266, doi: 10.1016/S0034-4257(96)00067-3.

ScienceDirect

Gao, B.-C. and Kaufman, Y.J. (1995). Selection of the 1.375-µm MODIS Channel for Remote Sensing of Cirrus Clouds and Stratospheric Aerosols from Space, J. Atm. Sci., 52, 4231-4237, doi: 10.1175/1520-0469(1995)052<4231:SOTMCF>2.0.CO;2.

AMS

Gao, B.-C., Heidebrecht, K.H.,and Goetz, A.F.H. (1993). Derivation of Scaled Surface Reflectances from AVIRIS Data, Remote Sens. Environ., 44(2-3), 165-178, doi: 10.1016/0034-4257(93)90014-O.

ScienceDirect

Gao, B.-C., Goetz, A.F.H., and Wiscombe, W.J. (1993). Cirrus Cloud Detection from Airborne Imaging Spectrometer Data Using the 1.38 µm Water Vapor Band, Geophys. Res. Lett., 20(4), 301-304, doi: 10.1029/93GL00106.

AGU

Gao, B.-C. and Goetz, A.F.H. (1990). Column Atmospheric Water Vapor and Vegetation Liquid Water Retrievals from Airborne Imaging Spectrometer Data, J. Geophys. Res., 95(D4), 3549-3564, doi: 10.1029/JD095iD04p03549.

AGU