Sea surface temperature climate change initiative: alternative image classification algorithms for sea-ice affected oceans

Bulgin, C. E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4368-7386, Eastwood, S., Embury, O. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1661-7828, Merchant, C. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4687-9850 and Donlon, C. (2015) Sea surface temperature climate change initiative: alternative image classification algorithms for sea-ice affected oceans. Remote Sensing of Environment, 162. pp. 396-407. ISSN 0034-4257 doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2013.11.022

Abstract/Summary

We present a Bayesian image classification scheme for discriminating cloud, clear and sea-ice observations at high latitudes to improve identification of areas of clear-sky over ice-free ocean for SST retrieval. We validate the image classification against a manually classified dataset using Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) data. A three way classification scheme using a near-infrared textural feature improves classifier accuracy by 9.9 % over the nadir only version of the cloud clearing used in the ATSR Reprocessing for Climate (ARC) project in high latitude regions. The three way classification gives similar numbers of cloud and ice scenes misclassified as clear but significantly more clear-sky cases are correctly identified (89.9 % compared with 65 % for ARC). We also demonstrate the poetential of a Bayesian image classifier including information from the 0.6 micron channel to be used in sea-ice extent and ice surface temperature retrieval with 77.7 % of ice scenes correctly identified and an overall classifier accuracy of 96 %.