Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the feasibility of applying the temperature and emissivity separation (TES) algorithm to thermal-infrared data acquired with three bands of the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) onboard the Meteosat Second Generation platform (SEVTES). The performance of the SEVTES algorithm was tested using data simulated over different atmospheric conditions and surface emissivities, with errors around 1.5% for emissivity and 1.5 K for temperature when atmospheric correction is accurate enough. In contrast, errors on land-leaving radiances higher than 2% or uncertainties on total atmospheric water vapor amount higher than 5% lead to errors on emissivity higher than 2% and errors on land surface temperature higher than 3 K, especially when the atmospheric absorption is overestimated. SEVIRI data acquired in August 2011 were also used to validate SEVTES emissivities against in situ measurements collected in five different homogeneous areas over Africa. Values were also intercompared to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER)-derived emissivities and to the LSA SAF emissivity product. Results show that SEVTES-derived emissivity values are consistent with MODIS-TES and ASTER-TES retrievals and that SEVTES also improves the retrievals included in LSA SAF and MOD11Cx v5 products. When compared to laboratory measurements, accuracies of around 1%-2% were obtained, although occasional inaccuracies (2%-3%) were also found in some cases at band 8.7 mu m. The results presented in this paper show the potential SEVTES has for improving the LSA SAF product over arid and semiarid areas.