VALIDATION OF SATELLITE DERIVED LHF USING COARE_3.0 SCHEME AND TIME SERIES DATA OVER NORTH-EAST INDIAN OCEAN

Time series measurement of surface meteorological parameters using an Autonomous Weather Station and Moored Buoy positioned at 10.5 N and 72 E from July to November 2000 are used to compute latent heat flux (LHF) using COARE_3.0 algorithm for validating Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSMI) derived LHF data. Mean positive and negative biases are observed between satellite and sea truth derived LHF estimates for summer (July to Sept) and inter-monsoon (Oct-Nov.) seasons respectively. Comparison during summer season exhibits very high correlation (> 75%) and is increasing progressively with longer climatologies. Satellite underestimates higher LHF values during summer while it overestimates lower LHF values in inter-monsoon season. Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) of LHF in summer is 12.5% of the highest value of 200 Wm -2 while it is 42 % of the mean lowest value of 50 Wm -2 during inter-monsoon season.