GlobAlbedo

Global Land Surface Albedo from Satellite Data

The GlobAlbedo project is developing a broadband albedo map of the entire Earth's land surface, which is required for use in climate modelling and research. An initial group of eight users are working with the GlobAlbedo project team to define requirements and drive the project towards practical applications of the products. The final albedo products will include both black and white sky albedo over the entire globe with at least monthly frequency over the 1995-2010 time period, and including uncertainty estimates.

Name	GlobAlbedo
Title	Global Land Surface Albedo from Satellite Data
Programme	DUE (Data User Element)
Theme	Land
Cost	€1,000k
Type	Service Demonstration
Status	Completed
Sensors	ENVISAT : AATSR ERS-2 : ATSR-2 ENVISAT : MERIS SPOT 4/5 : Vegetation
Web site	http://www.globalbedo.org" target="_blank">http://www.globalbedo.org
Objectives	The objective of the GlobAlbedo project is to respond to the users' requirements for a long time series of global land surface albedo by performing the following activities: 1. Developing and delivering a multi-annual global albedo data set that has the potential to be sustained into the future using data from operational European satellites, such as the GMES Sentinels. 2. Validating and intercomparing the albedo product against ground based, airborne and other satellite based measurements. 3. Providing the global user community with free access to the albedo products. 4. Demonstrating the utility of the albedo product by performing a scientific study exploiting the data set produced. With the aim of deriving independent estimates making the best use of operational European satellites, GlobAlbedo sets out to create a 15 year time series by employing ATSR-2, SPOT4- VEGETATION and SPOT5-VEGETATION2 as well as AATSR and MERIS.Â Albedo retrieval will use an optimal estimation approach, as well as a novel system for gap-filling.
Results	Final Report
Prime contractor	University College London, Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Subcontractors	UCL Geography Brockmann Consult Gmbh FUB Swansea University
Users	CNRM ETH Zurich UCL CICERO MPI-Met QUEST UKMO CEH
Project Manager	Tom Kennedy University College London Dept of Space and Climate Physics Gower Street London, WC1E 6BT Tel: +44 (0) 20 7679 2000 Email: tek@mssl.ucl.ac.uk
Technical Officer	Simon Pinnock European Space Agency (ESRIN) Via Galileo Galilei, Casella Postale 64, 00044 Frascati (RM), Italia Tel: 0039 06 941 80573 Fax: 0039 06 941 80552 Email: Simon.Pinnock@esa.int