ASTER Expedited L1B Satellite Radiance Data

NASA's ASTER Expedited Level 1B Registered Radiance at the Sensor dataset provides radiometrically calibrated and geometrically co-registered satellite imagery. It is processed for expedited delivery within 48 hours of acquisition, covering Visible and Near Infrared (VNIR), Shortwave Infrared (SWIR), and Thermal Infrared (TIR) spectral bands. The data is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with metadata last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Initial damage assessment for natural disasters using expedited VNIR and SWIR band imagery.
• Field calibration and validation of land surface models with registered radiance from multiple spectral bands.
• Monitoring thermal anomalies and surface temperature changes using TIR bands (with noted instrument end date).
• Analyzing geological features and vegetation indices with co-registered multispectral data from VNIR Band 2 and SWIR Band 6.

Strengths

• Expedited processing enables data download within 48 hours of satellite acquisition.
• Data is radiometrically calibrated and includes intra- and inter-telescope geometric co-registration.
• Covers multiple spectral regions with specific reference bands: VNIR Band 2, SWIR Band 6, and TIR Band 11.

Limitations

• Registration quality is lower than the standard AST_L1B product and varies per scene.
• The dataset lacks the VNIR 3B (aft-viewing) band and short-term calibration for the TIR sensor.
• TIR band acquisitions permanently ended on January 16, 2026, and SWIR data from April 2008 onward exhibits anomalous saturation and striping.
• Conflicting information exists regarding the exact end date of TIR acquisitions and the specifics of data gaps in 2024-2025.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Data acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on the Terra spacecraft.

Time Range

Acquisitions from 2000 onward, with specific instrument operations ending for TIR in 2026.

Freshness

2026-03-13 09:34:59.330323

Geography

Global