[M-AG33] Satellite Land Physical Processes Monitoring at Medium/High/Very High Resolution

[MAG33-P07] SKYCAM: A camera network for cloud characterization

*Andrés Eduardo Santamaría-Artigas^1,2, Eric Francis Vermote², Sergii Skakun^1,2, William Rountree^1,2, Jean-Claude Roger^1,2 (1.Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, 2.NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Code 619, Greenbelt, MD, USA)

Keywords:Clouds, Remote Sensing, SKYCAM

Clouds are a significant obstacle for optical remote sensing of the Earth's surface as they limit the number of useful observations available. In this context, the SKYCAM project seeks to improve our understanding of clouds and their influence on remote sensing data, and to aid in the development and refinement of automated cloud mapping and characterization algorithms. We have designed and built a series of low-cost ground-based instruments for the automatic collection of sky imagery. Each device counts with an RGB camera, a fish-eye lens with a field of view close to 180 degrees, and a single board computer for management and data transfer to storage and processing servers. As of February 2023, there are 16 operational SKYCAM instruments installed across 8 globally distributed sites, with 3 more sites planned to be installed by April 2023. This article describes the main aspects of the SKYCAM network, its data processing and availability, and future plans.