MISR Level 3 Component Global Radiance Product V005 provides a statistical summary of top-of-atmosphere Bidirectional Reflectance Factor and spectral albedos. The NASA LARC_CLOUD organization produces this global dataset, which averages Level 1 radiance parameters over seasonal quarters on a 0.5-degree geographic grid. Data collection for this product is ongoing.
Use Cases
- Analyze seasonal trends in Bidirectional Reflectance Factor for different land surface cover classifications.
- Model atmospheric particle (aerosol) distribution and type using statistical summaries from four spectral bands (443, 555, 670, 865 nm).
- Study cloud amount, type, and height trends by correlating spectral expansive albedos across different sky classifications.
- Calibrate other satellite datasets using the gridded, seasonally averaged radiance parameters from nine camera view angles.
- Monitor long-term vegetation canopy structure changes via seasonal near-infrared (865 nm) band radiance summaries.
Strengths
- Global coverage on a consistent 0.5-degree by 0.5-degree geographic grid.
- Data derived from nine cameras measuring radiance in four spectral bands (443, 555, 670, 865 nm).
- Provides seasonal aggregation (winter, spring, summer, fall) for trend analysis.
Limitations
- Spatial resolution of 0.5 degrees may be too coarse for local or regional-scale analysis.
- As a Level 3 statistical summary product, it lacks the raw, high-resolution Level 1 observations.
- Specific row count, sample size, and data volume metrics are not provided.
Provenance
- Source
- NASA LARC_CLOUD via the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument.
- Collection Method
- Satellite remote sensing using nine push-broom cameras at different view angles (0, 26.1, 45.6, & 70.5 degrees), with global coverage achieved in nine days.
- Time Range
- Seasonal quarters (Winter: Dec-Jan-Feb, Spring: Mar-Apr-May, Summer: Jun-Jul-Aug, Fall: Sep-Oct-Nov). Specific start year is unknown.
- Freshness
- Data collection is described as ongoing, but specific update frequency or last update date is unknown.
- Geography
- Global.