Atmospheric Profile Retrieval from Infrared, Thermal, Long-Wavelength Data of MODIS Satellite Sensor Instead of Radio-Sound Data

In various applications of data communications of air born and space born, local profile recognition of atmosphere is very important. In many regions, achieving this profile from local data is impossible. This research aims to calculate and retrieve the atmospheric profile in Tehran Mehrabad Synoptic Station, using satellite data of MODIS. Radio sound data were analyzed for two cold and warm seasons. The retrieved data were also analyzed for a cold and a warm month. The vertical temperature, pressure, and humidity profiles were retrieved from data in clear, cloudless atmospheric conditions during day and night, and they were compared with radio sound data in the geographical region of the station. The atmospheric profile was retrieved using a statistical regression and fast radiative transfer model as well as radio sound data for determining regression coefficient. The results indicate that the retrieved atmospheric profiles are in good agreement with radio sound data. Mean squared error for temperature at a pressure of 700 mbar was at most 2.8ºK to 3ºK, and water vapor mixing ratio was obtained to be 1.2 (g/kg) to 1.3 (g/kg).