NOAA-21 VIIRS: Global Vegetation Index Near Real-time Data

NOAA-21 VIIRS Level-3 binned Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data provides a near real-time snapshot of global vegetation health. The Ocean Biology DAAC at NASA produces these quicklook products using the best-available ancillary meteorological and ozone data from within a single orbit. The data was last updated on March 12, 2026.

Use Cases

• Monitor near real-time vegetation health changes based on the NDVI metric.
• Analyze short-term environmental impacts on the biosphere based on single-orbit snapshots.
• Assimilate quicklook satellite data into environmental forecasting models based on the near real-time availability.
• Study the correlation between vegetation indices and ancillary meteorological data mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• Data is produced in near real-time, providing timely snapshots of vegetation conditions.
• Managed by NASA's Ocean Biology DAAC, indicating authoritative satellite data processing.
• Last updated on March 12, 2026, suggesting active maintenance.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The description notes inputs and calibration are 'less than optimal' for these quicklook products.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Ocean Biology DAAC

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the NOAA-21 VIIRS sensor, processed into Level-3 binned products.

Time Range

Near real-time, single-orbit snapshots.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:14:26.554859

Geography

Global