MISR Level 2 FIRSTLOOK TOA/Cloud Classifier parameters V002

As the instrument flies overhead, each piece of Earth's surface below is successively imaged by all 9 cameras, in each of 4 wavelengths (blue, green, red, and near-infrared). The goal of MISR is to improve our understanding of the fate of sunlight in Earth environment, as well as distinguish different types of clouds, particles and surfaces.

Specifically, MISR monitors the monthly, seasonal, and long-term trends in three areas: 1) amount and type of atmospheric particles (aerosols), including those formed by natural sources and by human activities; 2) amounts, types, and heights of clouds, and 3) distribution of land surface cover, including vegetation canopy structure. MISR Level 2 FIRSTLOOK TOA/Cloud Classifier parameters V002 contains the Angular Signature Cloud Mask (ASCM), Cloud Classifiers, and Support Vector Machine classifiers, produced using ancillary inputs and Terrestrial Atmosphere and Surface Climatology (TASC) from the previous time period.