Suomi NPP VIIRS Imagery evaluation

Abstract

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) combines the best aspects of both civilian and military heritage instrumentation. VIIRS has improved capabilities over its predecessors: a wider swath width and much higher spatial resolution at swath edge. The VIIRS day-night band (DNB) is sensitive to very low levels of visible light and is capable of detecting low clouds, land surface features, and sea ice at night, in addition to light emissions from both man-made and natural sources. Imagery from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) satellite has been in the checkout process since its launch on 28 October 2011. The ongoing evaluation of VIIRS Imagery helped resolve several imagery-related issues, including missing radiance measurements. In particular, near-constant contrast imagery, derived from the DNB, had a large number of issues to overcome, including numerous missing or blank-fill images and a stray light leakage problem that was only recently resolved via software fixes. In spite of various sensor issues, the VIIRS DNB has added tremendous operational and research value to Suomi NPP. Remarkably, it has been discovered to be sensitive enough to identify clouds even in very low light new moon conditions, using reflected light from the Earth's airglow layer. Impressive examples of the multispectral imaging capabilities are shown to demonstrate its applications for a wide range of operational users. Future members of the Joint Polar Satellite System constellation will also carry and extend the use of VIIRS. Imagery evaluation will continue with these satellites to ensure the quality of imagery for end users.

An Overview of the Science Performances and Calibration/Validation of Joint Polar Satellite System Operational Products

“…VIIRS imagery applications in meteorological operations over the Alaska region are discussed in detail by Don Hillger et al [9]. In addition to the high-latitude applications, the VIIRS imagery products are being used for nowcasting of severe weather, such as hurricanes and blizzards days in advance and for assessing environmental hazards, such as droughts, floods, forest fires, poor air quality, and harmful coastal waters [30]. Figure 2 shows the VIIRS imagery product and combined use of the infrared and Day/Night band imageries.…”

“…hurricanes and blizzards days in advance and for assessing environmental hazards, such as droughts, floods, forest fires, poor air quality, and harmful coastal waters [30]. Figure 2 shows the VIIRS imagery product and combined use of the infrared and Day/Night band imageries.…”

A simplified high and near-constant contrast approach for the display of VIIRS day/night band imagery

“…For comparison with other approaches, we have compared the imagery created by the described simplified HNCC approach with imagery created using the operational NOAA NCC Level 2 product (Hillger et al 2014) and with the ERF dynamic scaling function as described in Seaman and Miller (2015). Figure 9 shows the same scenes as displayed in Figure 7 but created from the operational NCC products.…”

“…The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration produce Level 2 products (Environmental Data Record, EDR) of the L1 SDRs called Near-Constant Contrast (NCC) (Hillger et al 2014) which correct for the wide range of radiances through solar/lunar-zenith-angle-dependent gain adjustments. Recently, Liang et al (2014) documented how NCC imagery can be created for all solar and lunar conditions.…”

User Validation of VIIRS Satellite Imagery

“…Imagery of sufficient quality is often determined by the ability of human users to easily locate and discriminate atmospheric and ground features of interest. Such features include clouds and their type, especially convection and low clouds/fog, sea/lake ice edges, snow cover, volcanic eruptions, tropical cyclone structure, and dust storms [1][2][3]. In many of these cases, multi-spectral algorithms presented as false-color imagery are required to best identify land and atmospheric features over a given location.…”