Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “VIIRS”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 307 records · Page 17

Simulating Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Data Using Hyperion and MODIS

The success of MODIS (the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) in creating unprecedented, timely, high-quality data for vegetation and other studies has created great anticipation for data from VIIRS (the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite). VIIRS will be carried onboard the joint NASA/Department of Defense/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NPP (NPOESS (National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System) Preparatory Project). Because the VIIRS instruments will have lower spatial resolution than the current MODIS instruments 400 m versus 250 m at nadir for the channels used to generate Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data, scientists need the answer to this question: how will the change in resolution affect vegetation studies? By using simulated VIIRS measurements, this question may be answered before the VIIRS instruments are deployed in space. Using simulated VIIRS products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other operational agencies can then modify their decision support systems appropriately in preparation for receipt of actual VIIRS data. VIIRS simulations and validations will be based on the ART (Application Research Toolbox), an integrated set of algorithms and models developed in MATLAB(Registerd TradeMark) that enables users to perform a suite of simulations and statistical trade studies on remote sensing systems. Specifically, the ART provides the capability to generate simulated multispectral image products, at various scales, from high spatial hyperspectral and/or multispectral image products. The ART uses acquired ( real ) or synthetic datasets, along with sensor specifications, to create simulated datasets. For existing multispectral sensor systems, the simulated data products are used for comparison, verification, and validation of the simulated system s actual products. VIIRS simulations will be performed using Hyperion and MODIS datasets. The hyperspectral and hyperspatial properties of Hyperion data will be used to produce simulated MODIS and VIIRS products. Hyperion-derived MODIS data will be compared with near-coincident MODIS collects to validate both spectral and spatial synthesis, which will ascertain the accuracy of converting from MODIS to VIIRS. MODIS-derived VIIRS data is needed for global coverage and for the generation of time series for regional and global investigations. These types of simulations will have errors associated with aliasing for some scene types. This study will help quantify these errors and will identify cases where high-quality, MODIS-derived VIIRS data will be available.

Ross, Kenton W.↗

Using DSCOVR EPIC as a Transfer Radiometer to Scale Leo Imagers to the Same Calibration Reference

The NASA CERES project provides climate-quality observed TOA and computed surface fluxes to the climate community. The CERES instruments are on board the Terra, Aqua, Suomi-NPP, and NOAA-20 low earth orbiting (LEO) satellites, where they are used in tandem with the MODIS and VIIRS instruments to retrieve cloud properties required for converting CERES radiance observations into fluxes. The CERES project radiometrically scales the MODIS and VIIRS imager visible channel radiances to the Aqua-MODIS reference to retrieve consistent imager cloud properties between sensors. The NPP, NOAA-20, and the future NOAA-21 VIIRS imagers will be in the same sun-synchronous orbit but spaced equally apart, allowing for no simultaneous nadir overpasses (SNO) to inter-calibrate the VIIRS imagers to each other. Currently, the CERES project uses Aqua-MODIS to radiometrically scale between VIIRS imagers. Once the Terra and Aqua satellites start drifting toward the terminator, Aqua can no longer be utilized as the transfer radiometer between VIIRS sensors and there will be no SNOs in common between neither MODIS nor VIIRS imagers. The DSCOVR satellite orbits the Lagrange-1 (L1) point about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. The Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) instrument on the Earth-facing side of DSCOVR takes images ranging from the UV to the NIR of the sunlit side of the Earth. While the EPIC sensor has no onboard calibration systems, multiple inter-calibration studies have indicated that the EPIC instrument response is radiometrically stable. The stability of the EPIC instrument allows it to be used as a transfer radiometer between all MODIS and VIIRS imagers. The study will demonstrate the use of EPIC to radiometrically scale VIIRS and MODIS imagers to the same Aqua-MODIS calibration reference. The EPIC-based NPP and N20-VIIRS scaling factors will be compared with the Aqua-MODIS based NPP and N20-VIIRS scaling factors.

C. O. Haney↗

Harnessing CPF Hyperspectral Radiances to Homogenize Earth Observing Systems

Homogenization across Earth observing systems is essential for ensuring consistency in geophysical retrievals over time and enabling the construction of long-term climate records. As the first SI Traceable Satellite (SITSat) for the reflected solar, the CLARREO Pathfinder (CPF) will provide high-accuracy spectrally resolved benchmark measurements of Earth-reflected solar radiation, serving as a standardized in-orbit reference for other reflected solar (RS) instruments. The CPF intercalibration team has developed a state-of-the-art method to intercalibrate the RS channels of the VIIRS instrument onboard the NOAA-20 satellite using CPF benchmark measurements, aiming for a methodology uncertainty of 0.3-0.6% (1-sigma). To achieve this stringent accuracy, the CPF team has devised strategies to mitigate the effects of spatial, spectral, polarization, and angular disparities between the intercalibration footprints of CPF and VIIRS. Despite nearly identical instrument designs, the three VIIRS instruments currently in operation onboard SNPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 platforms exhibit systematic radiometric biases up to 8%. Although each VIIRS sensor’s calibration is independent and traceable to standards maintained by NIST, there is significant concern within the community about which VIIRS sensor most accurately represents the absolute radiometric scale. The precise intercalibration between CPF and NOAA-20 VIIRS will reveal the absolute radiometric accuracy of VIIRS. This accuracy can then be extended to other RS sensors, including MODIS and other VIIRS sensors, via vicarious methods. The 3-nm spectral sampling of CPF measurements will enable users to quantify scene-dependent spectral biases between sensors, thereby aiding in establishing both spectral and radiometric homogenization across these platforms. The CPF mission overview, along with details of its intercalibration capabilities and homogenization approaches, will be discussed at the meeting.

Raj Bhatt↗

Early On-Orbit Performance of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Onboard the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) Satellite

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is one of the key environmental remote-sensing instruments onboard the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership spacecraft, which was successfully launched on October 28, 2011 from the Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Following a series of spacecraft and sensor activation operations, the VIIRS nadir door was opened on November 21, 2011. The first VIIRS image acquired signifies a new generation of operational moderate resolution-imaging capabilities following the legacy of the advanced very high-resolution radiometer series on NOAA satellites and Terra and Aqua Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer for NASA's Earth Observing system. VIIRS provides significant enhancements to the operational environmental monitoring and numerical weather forecasting, with 22 imaging and radiometric bands covering wavelengths from 0.41 to 12.5 microns, providing the sensor data records for 23 environmental data records including aerosol, cloud properties, fire, albedo, snow and ice, vegetation, sea surface temperature, ocean color, and nigh-time visible-light-related applications. Preliminary results from the on-orbit verification in the postlaunch check-out and intensive calibration and validation have shown that VIIRS is performing well and producing high-quality images. This paper provides an overview of the onorbit performance of VIIRS, the calibration/validation (cal/val) activities and methodologies used. It presents an assessment of the sensor initial on-orbit calibration and performance based on the efforts from the VIIRS-SDR team. Known anomalies, issues, and future calibration efforts, including the long-term monitoring, and intercalibration are also discussed.

viirs↗

Evaluation of Spectral Band Adjustment Factors for Cross-Calibration of Visible Imagers

The CERES EBAF dataset provides TOA SW and LW fluxes for long-term monitoring of the Earth’s energy balance and to validate climate models. The EBAF products, based on the Terra and Aqua CERES instrument observed radiances, rely on coincident measurements from the onboard MODIS imagers to determine cloud properties that are used in the angular distribution model scene selection required to convert the CERES observed radiances into flux values. Once the Terra and Aqua orbits start drifting outside of their 15-minute window, the CERES project will rely solely on the NOAA-20 CERES observations. A seamless transition of fluxes and clouds can only occur if the analogous MODIS and VIIRS channels are properly inter-calibrated. The visible band (0.65 µm) in MODIS (band 1) and VIIRS (M5 or I1) is critical for retrieving the cloud mask and optical depth. The spectral response functions (SRF) of these bands differ noticeably and will require scene dependent spectral band adjustment factors (SBAF) for proper radiometric scaling between them. Fortunately, the VIIRS I1 and M5 bands are calibrated using the same solar diffuser as a reference, which implies that band reflectance differences must be due to the spectral disparity. The coincident I1 and M5 TOA reflectance measurements provide the optimal opportunity to validate SBAFs over many surface and cloud conditions. The CERES project maintains SCIAMACHY, GOME-2, Hyperion, and radiative transfer model-based scene-stratified hyper-spectral reflectance measurements that can be convolved with sensor pair SRFs to compute the corresponding SBAF. This study will evaluate the SCIAMACHY, GOME-2, Hyperion, and RTM based SBAFs over tropical ocean targets used in SNO inter-calibration of MODIS and VIIRS, including clear-sky ocean, deep convective clouds (DCC), and liquid cloud targets in terms of their applicability to absolute intercomparison of visible imagers. The large SCIAMACHY and GOME-2 footprints and the lack of Hyperion cloudy scenes will impact the resulting SBAFs and necessitates the need for future CLARREO hyper-spectral reflectances to decrease SBAF uncertainties Preliminary results indicate that the SCIAMACHY and GOME-2 based SBAFs for the VIIRS I1 and M5 band pairs may differ by 1.5% for some ATO scene types. Because most of the modern GEOs visible band SRFs encompass the VIIRS I1 band SRF, these evaluations are critical to ensure that the MODIS, VIIRS, and GEO clouds and fluxes are consistent. SBAFs for Libya-4, Dome-C and other Earth invariant target will also be evaluated.

D. R. Doelling↗

Prelaunch and On-Orbit Electronic Calibration for Earth Observing Instruments

"The Electronic Calibration (Ecal) tests are performed during various stages of instrument development to examinethe linearity of the instrument electronics. During this process, charges with stepwise increments are injected inthe analog electronics circuitry to generate a ramp signal that can be used to characterize any nonlinearities in theelectronics. The prelaunch characterization of MODIS (on the Terra and Aqua platforms) and VIIRS (on SNPP,JPSS-1 and JPSS-2) involved a regular evaluation of the electronics linearity using the Ecal tests. On orbit,the Ecal tests have been regularly performed over the mission for both the MODIS instruments to derive theelectronics gain and linearity. Unlike MODIS, the Ecal tests on the VIIRS instruments are performed on an as-needed basis. To date, no Ecal tests were performed for S-NPP VIIRS on orbit. The VIIRS instrument on JPSS-1(now NOAA 20) was launched on November 18, 2017. An Ecal test was performed to support the instrumentsinitial post-launch performance assessment. Shortly after the first on-orbit emissive band calibration, degradationin the instrument gain was observed for the LWIR bands (M15, M16 and I5). As a part of the investigationrelated to this anomaly, a second Ecal test was performed and results were compared with the prelaunch results.In this paper, we discuss the prelaunch Ecal tests and representative results from MODIS and VIIRS prelaunchcharacterization. Also, discussed are the on-orbit results from the two MODIS instruments as well as from therecently launched VIIRS instrument."

ECAL↗

TPSAS-NF1676L-27483-DND

scene to retrieve their microphysical properties. The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Project uses the infrared channels (6.72 Âμm, 7.33 Âμm, 13.3 Âμm,13.6 Âμm, 13.9 Âμm, and 14.2 Âμm) available on the Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS) to build its algorithms to retrieval cloud properties. Unfortunately, The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on board Suomi-NPP (National Polar-Orbiting Partnership) lacks these particular measurements. While conducting research using VIIRS data, it is desirable to bring these data into the VIIRS resolution. The Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), which is also on board Suomi-NPP, has these infrared channels. This paper describes a method to map the CrIS spectral radiances of CO2 and water vapor to VIIRS, with the mapping software in ATOVS and AVHRR Pre-processing (AAPP) package provided by Satellite Application Facilities for Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP SAF). This method is validated comparing mapped10.763 Âμm from CrIS with M15 from VIIRS. The mapped CO2 and water vapor channels were then created and combined with the conventional VIIRS product, as well as compared against corresponding channels of Aqua MODIS instrument.

Yan Chen↗