A method for the spectral analysis and identification of Fog, Haze and Dust storm using MODIS data

Abstract. The three typical extreme weather of fog, haze and dust storm have occurred frequently in recent years in China. These events influence the transportation, the ecological environment, and the daily lives of people. Remote sensing is very important technology that can be used to monitor them due to its high temporal resolution and wide area of coverage. But because the spectral features of the three extreme weather conditions are very complex, the high accuracy identification of them is facing severe challenges. In this article, the spectra of these three weather conditions, as well as those of clouds and the background surface, are analyzed. A monitoring model is constructed to achieve the separation of fog, haze, dust storm, clouds and the underlying surface using satellite data. The monitoring results are tested based on their corresponding measurements obtained from ground stations, and indicate that the extraction of fog, haze and dust storm can reach a high accuracy.