NOAA-21 Satellite Collocated Hyperspectral Radiance and Cloud Mask Data

Radiance measurements from the CrIS instrument and collocated VIIRS imager data from the NOAA-21 satellite. The dataset includes 2,223 hyperspectral channels across shortwave, midwave, and longwave infrared bands, with VIIRS providing 22 bands of high-resolution imagery and cloud mask statistics for each CrIS field of view. Data is produced in six-minute granules by the GES DISC, with a documented update in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Cloud detection and characterization using the collocated VIIRS cloud mask and radiance statistics for each CrIS field of view.
• Atmospheric temperature and moisture profile retrieval from the 2,223-channel CrIS hyperspectral radiance measurements.
• Sensor fusion studies by analyzing the match-up between high-spectral-resolution CrIS data and high-spatial-resolution VIIRS imagery within the same satellite footprint.
• Validation of numerical weather prediction models using spatially and spectrally detailed atmospheric radiance observations.

Strengths

• Provides collocated data from two key satellite instruments (CrIS and VIIRS) on the same platform, enabling direct sensor fusion with 2,223 spectral channels and 22 imaging bands.
• Structured spatial sampling with 30 field-of-regards cross-track and 45 along-track, each containing 9 field-of-views, for systematic global coverage.
• Data is produced on consistent six-minute boundaries, facilitating temporal analysis and operational assimilation.

Limitations

• Specific column names, total row counts, and dataset size are not provided by any source, limiting precise technical assessment.
• Conflicting update information exists: one source lists a last updated date of 2026-03-13, while others list it as unknown.

Provenance

Source

GES_DISC, NASA

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments aboard the NOAA-21 (JPSS-2) platform.

Freshness

2026-03-13 20:38:03.601640

Geography

Global coverage from the polar-orbiting NOAA-21 satellite.