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At least 19 records

Evaluation of the Sensor Data Record from the Nadir Instruments of the Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite (OMPS)

This paper evaluates the first 15 months of the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) Sensor Data Record (SDR) acquired by the nadir sensors and processed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Interface Data Processing Segment. The evaluation consists of an inter-comparison with a similar satellite instrument, an analysis using a radiative transfer model, and an assessment of product stability. This is in addition to the evaluation of sensor calibration and the Environment Data Record product that are also reported in this Special Issue. All these are parts of synergetic effort to provide comprehensive assessment at every level of the products to ensure its quality. It is found that the OMPS nadir SDR quality is satisfactory for the current Provisional maturity. Methods used in the evaluation are being further refined, developed, and expanded, in collaboration with international community through the Global Space-based Inter-Calibration System, to support the upcoming long-term monitoring.

validation↗

NOAA-20 VIIRS on-Orbit Calibration Improvements

The NOAA-20 (N-20) VIIRS has successfully operated for more than two years since its launch in November 2017. Shortly after completing its initial instrument check-outs and post-launch testing (PLT) activities, the N-20 VIIRS sensor data records (SDR) achieved the beta, provisional, and validated maturity status in January, February, and April 2018, respectively. In this paper, we briefly describe the instrument on-orbit operation and calibration activities, provide an overall assessment of its on-orbit performance, and discuss the methodologies developed to maintain and improve sensor calibration and data quality. As illustrated in this paper, the N-20 VIIRS continues to perform with excellent stability, allowing high-quality environmental data records (EDR) to be generated from its well-calibrated SDR.

NOAA-20↗

JPSS-1 VIIRS Radiometric Characterization and Calibration Based on Pre-Launch Testing

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on-board the first Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) completed its sensor level testing on December 2014. The JPSS-1 (J1) mission is scheduled to launch in December 2016, and will be very similar to the Suomi-National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) mission. VIIRS instrument has 22 spectral bands covering the spectrum between 0.4 and 12.6 m. It is a cross-track scanning radiometer capable of providing global measurements twice daily, through observations at two spatial resolutions, 375 m and 750 m at nadir for the imaging and moderate bands, respectively. This paper will briefly describe J1 VIIRS characterization and calibration performance and methodologies executed during the pre-launch testing phases by the government independent team to generate the at-launch baseline radiometric performance and the metrics needed to populate the sensor data record (SDR) Look-Up-Tables (LUTs). This paper will also provide an assessment of the sensor pre-launch radiometric performance, such as the sensor signal to noise ratios (SNRs), radiance dynamic range, reflective and emissive bands calibration performance, polarization sensitivity, spectral performance, response-vs-scan (RVS), and scattered light response. A set of performance metrics generated during the pre-launch testing program will be compared to both the VIIRS sensor specification and the SNPP VIIRS pre-launch performance.

VIIRS↗

JPSS-1 VIIRS Pre-Launch Radiometric Performance

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on-board the first Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) completed its sensor level testing on December 2014. The JPSS-1 (J1) mission is scheduled to launch in December 2016, and will be very similar to the Suomi-National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) mission. VIIRS instrument was designed to provide measurements of the globe twice daily. It is a wide-swath (3,040 kilometers) cross-track scanning radiometer with spatial resolutions of 370 and 740 meters at nadir for imaging and moderate bands, respectively. It covers the wavelength spectrum from reflective to long-wave infrared through 22 spectral bands [0.412 microns to 12.01 microns]. VIIRS observations are used to generate 22 environmental data products (EDRs). This paper will briefly describe J1 VIIRS characterization and calibration performance and methodologies executed during the pre-launch testing phases by the independent government team, to generate the at-launch baseline radiometric performance, and the metrics needed to populate the sensor data record (SDR) Look-Up-Tables (LUTs). This paper will also provide an assessment of the sensor pre-launch radiometric performance, such as the sensor signal to noise ratios (SNRs), dynamic range, reflective and emissive bands calibration performance, polarization sensitivity, bands spectral performance, response-vs-scan (RVS), near field and stray light responses. A set of performance metrics generated during the pre-launch testing program will be compared to the SNPP VIIRS pre-launch performance.

RSB↗

TOPEX SDR Processing, October 1998

This document is a compendium of the WFF TOPEX Software Development Team's knowledge regarding Sensor Data Record (SDR) Processing. It includes many elements of a requirements document, a software specification document, a software design document, and a user's manual. In the more technical sections, this document assumes the reader is familiar with TOPEX and instrument files.

Lee, Jeffrey E.↗

SNPP VIIRS Reflective Solar Bands On-Orbit Calibration Using the Moon

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on board the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite has been on orbit for more than eight years since its launch on October 28, 2011. The VIIRS has 22 spectral bands, among which 14 are reflective solar bands(RSBs) covering a spectral range from 0.41 to 2.25 m. The VIIRS RSBs are primarily calibrated on-orbit by an onboard solar diffuser (SD) panel and a solar diffuser stability monitor (SDSM). Besides the SD and SDSM calibration, the RSBs are scheduled to view the Moon approximately monthly through the instrument’s space view (SV). The lunar observations have also been used to calibrate the RSBs on-orbit since early mission. Due to the non uniformity of the SD’s degradation, the calibration coefficients that are derived from the SD/SDSM calibration have long-term biases, especially at short wavelengths. In addition, the SDSM has no capability to monitor the SD degradation beyond 0.935 m, resulting in long-term bias in the shortwave infrared bands, about 0.72% for band M8 (1.238 m). These biases induce significant errors and long-term drifts in the VIIRS sensor data records (SDR) and consequently in the environmental data records (EDR). Unlike the SD, the Moon is a known stable target and any temporal drifts observed while viewing the Moon can be attributed to the sensor’s degradation. Thus, the VIIRS lunar calibration is used to track the RSB on-orbit changes, especially to provide an accurate long-term baseline. Due to the non-uniformity of the lunar surface, the lunar irradiance, instead of the lunar radiance, is used to calibrate the RSBs. The lunar irradiance strongly depends on lunar view geometry and it is still a challenge to accurately characterize the geometric effects associated with the lunar measurements and any residual errors can induce seasonal oscillations in the derived calibration coefficients. The errors of the geometric dependence correction induce seasonal oscillations in the derived RSB lunar calibration coefficients. In this paper, the algorithms for the view geometric effect correction are significantly improved, resulting in a significant reduction in the seasonal oscillations observed in the calibration coefficient time-series. The lunar and SD/SDSM calibration results are properly incorporated to generate a set of hybrid calibration coefficients and implementation of these coefficients is shown to significantly improve the long-term stability of the VIIRS SDR. This is of fundamental importance in making accurate Earth observations from which reliable and high quality science products are generated. The consequent improvements in SNPP VIIRS RSB SDRs and EDRs are shown and discussed. The lunar calibration methodology can be directly applied to follow-on VIIRS instruments.

Junqiang Sun↗

S-NPP VIIRS Calibration and Performance Update

The first VIIRS instrument has successfully operated for more than 4 years on-board the Suomi-National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) spacecraft. The sensor data records (SDR) derived from VIIRS on-orbit observations have been used to produce many environment data records (EDR), enabling a wide range of applications by the users from operational and research community. This paper provides an overview of instrument operations and its calibration activities, and presents an update of its radiometric performance, in terms of on-orbit changes in sensor spectral band responses and noise characterization. It also describes the effort made to improve sensor calibration, and the strategies developed in support of producing consistent SDR and, consequently, the EDR with improved quality.

Xiong, X.↗

An Overall Assessment of JPSS-2 VIIRS Radiometric Performance Based on Pre-Launch Testing

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on-board the second Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) completed its sensor level testing in February 2018. The JPSS-2 (J2) mission is scheduled to launch in 2022 and will be very similar to its two predecessor missions, the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) mission, launched on 28 October 2011 and JPSS-1 (renamed NOAA-20) launched on 18 November 2017. VIIRS instrument has 22 spectral bands covering the spectrum between 0.4 and 12.6 μm: 14 reflective solar bands (RSB), 7 thermal emissive bands (TEB) and one day-night band (DNB). It is a cross-track scanning radiometer capable of providing global measurements through observations at two spatial resolutions, 375 m and 750 m at nadir for the imaging bands and moderate bands, respectively. This paper will provide an overview of J2 VIIRS characterization methodologies and calibration performance during the pre-launch testing phases performed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) VIIRS Characterization Support Team (VCST) to evaluate the at-launch baseline radiometric performance and generate the parameters needed to populate the sensor data record (SDR) Look-Up-Tables (LUTs). Our analysis results confirmed the good performance of J2 VIIRS, in general as good as previous VIIRS instruments and all non-compliances are expected to have low impact on data quality. Key sensor performance metrics include the signal to noise ratio (SNR), radiance dynamic range, reflective and emissive bands calibration performance, polarization sensitivity, spectral performance, response versus scan-angle (RVS) and scattered light response. A set of performance metrics generated during the pre-launch testing program will be compared to both the SNPP and JPSS-1 VIIRS sensors.

Oudrari, Hassan↗

Post-Launch Calibration Support for VIIRS Onboard NASA NPP Spacecraft

The NPP Instrument Calibration Support Element (NICSE) is one of the elements within the NASA NPP Science Data Segment (SDS). The primary responsibility of NICSE is to independently monitor and evaluate on-orbit radiometric and geometric performance of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument and to validate its Sensor Data Record (SDR) [1]. The NICSE interacts and works closely with other SDS Product Evaluation and Analysis Tools Elements (PEATE) and the NPP Science Team (ST) and supports their on-orbit data product calibration and validation efforts. The NICSE also works closely with the NPP Instrument Calibration Support Team (NICST) during sensor pre-launch testing in ambient and thermal vacuum environment [2]. This paper provides an overview of NICSE VIIRS sensor post-launch calibration support with a focus on the use of sensor on-board calibrators (OBC) for the radiometric calibration and characterization. It presents the current status of NICSE post-launch radiometric calibration tool development effort based on its design requirements

Xiong, Xiaoxion↗

Inter-Comparison of S-NPP VIIRS and Aqua MODIS Thermal Emissive Bands Using Hyperspectral Infrared Sounder Measurements as a Transfer Reference

This paper compares the calibration consistency of the spectrally-matched thermal emissive bands (TEB) between the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), using observations from their simultaneous nadir overpasses (SNO). Nearly-simultaneous hyperspectral measurements from the Aqua Atmospheric Infrared Sounder(AIRS) and the S-NPP Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) are used to account for existing spectral response differences between MODIS and VIIRS TEB. The comparison uses VIIRS Sensor Data Records (SDR) in MODIS five-minute granule format provided by the NASA Land Product and Evaluation and Test Element (PEATE) and Aqua MODIS Collection 6 Level 1 B (L1B) products. Each AIRS footprint of 13.5 km (or CrIS field of view of 14 km) is co-located with multiple MODIS (or VIIRS) pixels. The corresponding AIRS- and CrIS-simulated MODIS and VIIRS radiances are derived by convolutions based on sensor-dependent relative spectral response (RSR) functions. The VIIRS and MODIS TEB calibration consistency is evaluated and the two sensors agreed within 0.2 K in brightness temperature.Additional factors affecting the comparison such as geolocation and atmospheric water vapor content are also discussed in this paper.

Li, Yonghong↗

First SNPP Cal/Val Campaign: Satellite and Aircraft Sounding Retrieval Intercomparison

Satellite ultraspectral infrared sensors provide key data records essential for weather forecasting and climate change science. The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite Environmental Data Record (EDR) is retrieved from calibrated ultraspectral radiance so called Sensor Data Record (SDR). It is critical to understand the accuracy of retrieved EDRs, which mainly depends on SDR accuracy (e.g., instrument random noise and absolute accuracy), an ill-posed retrieval system, and radiative transfer model errors. There are few approaches to validate EDR products, e.g., some common methods are to rely on radiosonde measurements, ground-based measurements, and dedicated aircraft campaign providing in-situ measurements of atmosphere and/or employing similar ultraspectral interferometer sounders. Ultraspectral interferometer sounder aboard aircraft measures SDR to retrieve EDR, which is often used to validate satellite measurements of SDR and EDR. The SNPP Calibration/Validation Campaign was conducted during May 2013. The NASA high-altitude aircraft ER-2 that carried ultraspectral interferometer sounders such as the NASA Atmospheric Sounder Testbed-Interferometer (NAST-I) flew under the SNPP satellite that carries the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS). Here we inter-compare the EDRs produced with different retrieval algorithms from SDRs measured by the sensors from satellite and aircraft. The available dropsonde and radiosonde measurements together with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analysis were also used to draw the conclusion from this experiment.

Zhou, Daniel K.↗

WFF TOPEX Software Documentation Altimeter Instrument File (AIF) Processing, October 1998

This document is a compendium of the WFF TOPEX Software Development Team's knowledge regarding Sensor Data Record (SDR) Processing. It includes many elements of a requirements document, a software specification document, a software design document, and a user's manual. In the more technical sections, this document assumes the reader is familiar with TOPEX and instrument files.

Lee, Jeffrey↗

NPP VIIRS Early On-Orbit Geometric Performance

The NASA/NOAA Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument on-board the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite was launched in October, 2011. The instrument geometric performance includes sensor spatial response, band-to-band co-registration (BBR), and geolocation accuracy and precision. The geometric performance is an important aspect of sensor data record (SDR) calibration and validation. In this paper we will discuss geometric performance parameter characterization using the first seven-month of VIIRS' earth and lunar data, and compare with the at-launch performance using ground testing data and analysis of numerical modeling results as the first step in on-orbit geometric calibration and validation.

Wolfe, Robert E.↗

NOAA-20 VIIRS polarization effect and its correction

The follow-on Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) housed in the NOAA-20 satellite was launched on 18 November 2017. It has 22 spectral bands, among which 14 are reflective solar bands (RSBs) covering the wavelength range from 411 to 2258 nm. Prelaunch polarization sensitivity measurements have revealed that NOAA-20 VIIRS RSBs are much more sensitive to polarization of the incident light than its predecessor, the VIIRS on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership. For the short wavelength bands, i.e., M1–M4, the polarization sensitivities are out of specifications, especially for band M1, for which the polarization factors can be as large as ∼6%. The polarization effect induces striping in imagery along the track and radiometric bias both along the scan and along the track, resulting in much larger uncertainties in the environmental data records (EDR). In this paper, the polarization effect correction algorithms are described and applied to the NOAA-20 VIIRS RSBs for ocean scenes where the top-of-atmosphere radiance can be separated into the ocean normalized water-leaving radiance, the basis of the ocean color EDR, and the sunlight reflected by the atmosphere, which can be mostly described by the Rayleigh scattering radiance. The errors of the sensor data records (SDR or Level-1B radiance) due to the polarization effect can be as large as ∼1% for bands M1 and M2, and those in the ocean normalized water-leaving radiances are about 13% and 10% for wavelengths at 411 nm (band M1) and 445 nm (band M2), respectively. The polarization effect also induces strong striping in both NOAA-20 VIIRS RSB SDR and normalized water-leaving radiances. It is demonstrated that with the polarization correction applied, the aforementioned errors and artifacts are successfully removed.

NOAA-20↗

NOAA-20 VIIRS Reflective Solar bands on-Orbit Calibration Using a Hybrid Approach

The NOAA-20 Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) has been in orbit for more than two and a half years. VIIRS has 22 bands, among which 14 are reflective solar bands (RSBs) covering a spectral range from 0.41 to 2.25 μm. The RSBs are calibrated on-orbit using an onboard solar diffuser (SD), on-orbit degradation of which is tracked by an onboard SD stability monitor (SDSM). NOAA-20 VIIRS is also scheduled to view the Moon approximately monthly and the lunar observations are used to track the RSB on-orbit changes as well. Both SD and lunar calibration results for the RSBs are shown and it is demonstrated that the two sets of the calibration coefficients diverge with time, especially at short wavelengths. The divergence is due to the non-uniformity of the SD degradation, which results in a long-term bias in the calibration coefficients derived from the SD calibration. A hybrid method, which properly combines the SD and lunar calibration results, is applied to generate the RSB calibration coefficients as has been done for SNPP VIIRS RSBs. The hybrid results have both the accuracy and frequency and ensure the high quality of the VIIRS sensor data records (SDR).

Calibration↗

JPSS-2 VIIRS Pre-Launch Reflective Solar Band Testing and Performance

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments on-board the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) and Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) spacecrafts 1 and 2 provides calibrated sensor data record (SDR) reflectance, radiance, and brightness temperatures for use in environment data record (EDR) products. The SDRs and EDRs are used in weather forecasting models, weather imagery and climate applications such as ocean color, sea surface temperature and active fires. The VIIRS has 22 bands covering a spectral range 0.4–12.4 m with resolutions of 375 m and 750 m for imaging and moderate bands respectively on four focal planes. The bands are stratified into three different types based on the source of energy sensed by the bands. The reflective solar bands (RSBs) detect sunlight reflected from the Earth, thermal emissive bands (TEBs) sense emitted energy from the Earth and the day/night band (DNB) detects both solar and lunar reflected energy from the Earth. The SDR calibration uses a combination of pre-launch testing and the solar diffuser (SD), on-board calibrator blackbody (OBCBB) and space view (SV) on-orbit calibrator sources. The pre-launch testing transfers the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable calibration to the SD, for the RSB, and the OBCBB, for the TEB. Post-launch, the on-board calibrators track the changes in instrument response and adjust the SDR product as necessary to maintain the calibration. This paper will discuss the pre-launch radiometric calibration portion of the SDR calibration for the RSBs that includes the dynamic range, detector noise, calibration coefficients and radiometric uncertainties for JPSS-2 VIIRS.

JPSS↗

Introduction to the JPSS-2 Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) Government Calibration Data Book (GCDB)

The third Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) is an instrument onboard the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), JPSS-2 (renamed NOAA-21 in orbit) mission. This report is to introduce the JPSS-2 Government Calibration Data Book (J2 GCDB) for ATMS, SN 304. This J2 GCDB document contains key information generated during the calibration testing campaign that is driving parameters for radiometric performance. This document also contains supporting data that augments the calibration results. The values in this document are utilized by ATMS’s calibration packet which is, in turn, an integral component in the interpretation of science data. The calibration data in this report was collected from tests such as shelf-level testing, antenna testing, instrument thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing; satellite TVAC testing; and JPSS-2 post-launch tests. JPSS-2 was launched on November 10, 2022. In the subsequent years, the Government will release an ATMS GCDB for each JPSS mission. We expect that all public users can download these ATMS GCDBs from the NOAA operational Integrated Calibration and Validation System (ICVS) website, see more discussions below. The goal of this GCDB is to demonstrate how to characterize ATMS measurements using JPSS-2 ATMS on-orbit operational data and to provide relevant explanations. This document serves as a primary public domain reference for calibrating operational ATMS Raw Data Records (RDR) science data, as used in the current operational Interface Data Processing Segment (IDPS) system. This same RDR science data is distributed through direct broadcast (DB) to DB users for use in their ground processing systems. This J2 GCDB provides the results of the ATMS system radiometric calibration, the antenna flat reflector emissivity [1], the antenna pattern measurements, the antenna pattern corrected brightness temperature [2], the brightness temperature of the lunar disk [3], Lunar Intrusion (LI) correction algorithm [4], receiver spectral parameters, and mechanical alignment on-orbit pointing results, and the striping effect appeared significantly in S-NPP on-orbit radiance data when the data are compared to the Radiative Transfer Model (RTM) simulation in numerical weather prediction (NWP) system [5]. It also provides the parameters required for conversion of telemetry counts to engineering units, for radiometric calibration, and for antenna beam geo-location. Moreover, it provides JPSS-2 ATMS Spectral Response Functions data, some additional information related to ATMS on-orbit performance, on-orbit lunar intrusion correction parameters and Earth contamination bias, and on how to derive ATMS RDR, antenna Temperature Data Records (TDR), and Sensor Data Records (SDR). Furthermore, an introduction of NOAA operational Integrated Calibration and Validation System (ICVS) website and services is added in this J2 GCDB. This ICVS hosts a long-term monitoring system which allows to visualization and comparison of data from JPSS missions, NOAA legacy Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). From NOAA Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System (CLASS), the public users can download all JPSS ATMS data products for all JPSS missions.

Microwave Sounder↗

NOAA-20 ATMS Status: ATMS SDR Team

Data quality looks better than Suomi-NPP (Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership): similar biases. Smaller standard deviation of first guess departures and diagnosed observation errors. Weaker striping signal than Suomi-NPP ATMS (Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder). Improved first guess fits to: temperature observations (AMSU-A (Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A), CrIS (Cross-track Infrared Sounder), GPSRO (Global Positioning System Radio Occultation)); Humidity observations (MHS (Microwave Humidity Sounder), GEO CSRs (Geostationary Orbit Clear Sky Radiances)). Indicates improved accuracy of short range temperature and humidity forecasts. Neutral to slightly positive forecast scores.

Sensor Data Record (SDR)↗