Monthly Snow-Free Albedo and Soil Reflectance, 1982-1998

Albedo data provides monthly average snow-free surface shortwave albedo and background soil/litter reflectances in visible and near-infrared wavelengths for 1982-1998. The dataset was generated using biophysical parameters from the FASIR-NDVI data set and the Simple Biosphere (SiB2) model, coupled with a General Circulation Model. It is part of the ISLSCP Initiative II collection and is hosted by ORNL_CLOUD.

Use Cases

• Calibrating and validating General Circulation Model (GCM) land surface albedo schemes using the monthly mean surface albedo values.
• Analyzing long-term trends in vegetation greenness and leaf area index (LAI) derived from the underlying FASIR-NDVI data.
• Studying the relationship between soil/litter background reflectance and vegetation cover over a 17-year period.
• Incorporating time-averaged, radiation-weighted albedo estimates into surface energy balance and radiative transfer studies.

Strengths

• Provides a consistent 17-year monthly time series from January 1982 to December 1998.
• Integrates data from multiple models (SiB2 canopy model, CSU GCM) and the FASIR-NDVI product for calculated albedo.
• Offers global coverage at a standardized 1 x 1 degree spatial resolution for vegetated land surfaces.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA EarthData and Data.gov signals established importance and curation.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row/record counts are not provided by any source, limiting precise technical assessment.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata exists between platforms (1998 vs. 2026), creating uncertainty about maintenance.
• Data is snow-free, limiting direct application to seasonal snow-covered regions without supplementary data.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD, as part of the ISLSCP Initiative II data collection.

Collection Method

Calculated using biophysical parameters (LAI, Greenness) from FASIR-NDVI, fed into the SiB2 canopy radiative transfer model, with time integration via the CSU General Circulation Model.

Time Range

1982-1998

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:23:54.662681

Geography

Global, vegetated land surfaces.