Characteristics of R2019 Processing of MODIS Sea Surface Temperature at High Latitudes

Satellite remote sensing is the best way to derive sea surface skin temperature (SSTskin) in the Arctic. However, as surface temperature retrieval algorithms in the infrared (IR) part of the electromagnetic spectrum are designed to compensate for atmospheric effects mainly due to water vapor, MODIS SSTskin retrievals have larger uncertainties at high latitudes where the atmosphere is very dry and cold, which is an extreme in the distribution of global conditions. MODIS R2019 SSTskin fields are currently derived using latitudinally and monthly dependent algorithm coefficients, including an additional band above 60°N to better represent the effects of Arctic atmospheres. However, the R2019 processing of MODIS SSTskin still has some unrevealed error characteristics. This study uses 21 years (2002–2022) of collocated, simultaneous satellite brightness temperature (BT) data from Aqua MODIS and in situ buoy-measured subsurface temperature data from iQuam for validation. Unlike elsewhere over the oceans, the 11 μm and 12 μm BT differences are poorly related to the column water vapor at high latitudes, resulting in poor atmospheric water vapor correction. Anomalous BT difference signals are identified, caused by the temperature and humidity inversions in the lower troposphere, which are especially significant during the summer. Although the existence of negative BT differences is physically reasonable, this makes the retrieval algorithm lose its effectiveness. Moreover, the statistics of the MODIS SSTskin data when compared with the iQuam buoy temperature data show large differences (in terms of mean and standard deviation) for the matchups at the Northern Atlantic and Pacific sides of the Arctic due to the disparity of in situ measurements and distinct surface and vertical atmospheric conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to further improve the retrieval algorithms to obtain more accurate MODIS SSTskin data to study surface ocean processes and climate change in the Arctic.