1.2. Objectives

As outlined in detail in [1], the aim of developing a BEAM Snow Radiance Processor is to undertake research and algorithm development on snow properties derived from both MERIS standalone as well as synergetic MERIS/AATSR datasets, with stated objectives:

Cloud screening
Ice / snow discrimination
Snow cover determination (including the snow index);
retrieval of <listitem> snow temperature </listitem><listitem> snow emissivity </listitem><listitem> snow grain size </listitem><listitem> snow albedo </listitem><listitem> concentration of pollutants </listitem>
deriving recommendations for future missions

This SUM specifically describes the software developed to address all these objectives, and how to use the corresponding BEAM Snow Radiance Processor.