Error bounds of a fast atmospheric correction algorithm for the Landsat thematic mapper and multispectral scanner...

Error bounds of ground reflectance were calculated for the Landsat thematic mapper and multispectral scanner bands by using a fast atmospheric correction algorithm now based on LOWTRAN 7. The algorithm neglects the scan angle dependence of the radiance received at the sensor and employs a linear relationship between planetary (Earth/atmosphere) reflectance and ground reflectance. The errors caused by these two approximations are small enough (<2%) that the algorithm can have many applications in remote sensing, so in these cases the fast algorithm can be used instead of more complex methods. Note that the errors are in addition to the errors in the LOWTRAN code resulting from the two-stream approximation of multiple scattering. Although the method itself is independent of the LOWTRAN code, the overall accuracy depends on the code. The proposed fast correction method is particularly suited for airborne and spaceborne imaging spectrometers with a small swath angle.