• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.39 no.5_3
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• pp.933-948
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• 2023

Atmospheric aerosols not only have adverse effects on human health but also exert direct and indirect impacts on the climate system. Consequently, it is imperative to comprehend the characteristics and spatiotemporal distribution of aerosols. Numerous research endeavors have been undertaken to monitor aerosols, predominantly through the retrieval of aerosol optical depth (AOD) via satellite-based observations. Nonetheless, this approach primarily relies on a look-up table-based inversion algorithm, characterized by computationally intensive operations and associated uncertainties. In this study, a novel high-resolution AOD direct retrieval algorithm, leveraging machine learning, was developed using top-of-atmosphere reflectance data derived from the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager-II (GOCI-II), in conjunction with their differences from the past 30-day minimum reflectance, and meteorological variables from numerical models. The Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM) technique was harnessed, and the resultant estimates underwent rigorous validation encompassing random, temporal, and spatial N-fold cross-validation (CV) using ground-based observation data from Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) AOD. The three CV results consistently demonstrated robust performance, yielding R²=0.70-0.80, RMSE=0.08-0.09, and within the expected error (EE) of 75.2-85.1%. The Shapley Additive exPlanations(SHAP) analysis confirmed the substantial influence of reflectance-related variables on AOD estimation. A comprehensive examination of the spatiotemporal distribution of AOD in Seoul and Ulsan revealed that the developed LGBM model yielded results that are in close concordance with AERONET AOD over time, thereby confirming its suitability for AOD retrieval at high spatiotemporal resolution (i.e., hourly, 250 m). Furthermore, upon comparing data coverage, it was ascertained that the LGBM model enhanced data retrieval frequency by approximately 8.8% in comparison to the GOCI-II L2 AOD products, ameliorating issues associated with excessive masking over very illuminated surfaces that are often encountered in physics-based AOD retrieval processes.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.37 no.6_1
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• pp.1697-1707
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• 2021

On 19 February 2020, the 2nd Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI-II), a maritime sensor of GEO-KOMPSAT-2B, was launched. The GOCI-II instrument expands the scope of aerosol retrieval research with its improved performance compared to the former instrument (GOCI). In particular, the newly included UV band at 380 nm plays a significant role in improving the sensitivity of GOCI-II observations to the absorbing aerosols. In this study, we calculated the aerosol index and detected absorbing aerosols from January to June 2021 using GOCI-II 380 and 412 nm channels. Compared to the TROPOMI aerosol index, the GOCI-II aerosol index showed a positive bias, but the dust pixels still could be clearly distinguished from the cloud and clear pixels. The high GOCI-II aerosol index coincided with ground-based observations indicating dust aerosols were detected. We found that 70.5% of dust and 80% of moderately-absorbing fine aerosols detected from the ground had GOCI-II aerosol indices larger than the 75th percentile through the whole study period.