SPOT HRV Reflectances: FIFE Ground Sites 1987-1989

1987-1989 growing season data provides average instrument-corrected spectral radiances, reflectances, and exoatmospheric reflectances for 39 ground sites from the FIFE campaign. The dataset includes view and solar angles for each site, with reflectances derived using the Fraser et al. (1989) atmospheric correction algorithm applied to SPOT HRV imagery. It contains measurements for three multispectral (XS) and one panchromatic (PAN) band.

Use Cases

• Validating atmospheric correction algorithms based on provided aerosol optical thickness and gaseous absorption profiles.
• Analyzing surface reflectance changes over three growing seasons for 39 specific ground measurement sites.
• Correlating satellite-derived reflectances with ground-based measurements from the FIFE campaign.
• Studying the angular dependence of reflectance using the associated view and solar angles.

Strengths

• Contains data from three consecutive growing seasons (1987, 1988, 1989), enabling temporal analysis.
• Includes measurements for 39 distinct FIFE ground sites, providing spatial coverage.
• Reflectances are derived using a specific, cited atmospheric correction algorithm (Fraser et al., 1989).

Limitations

• Critical metadata conflicts: 'last updated' dates are 1989 on NASA Earthdata but 2026 on Data.gov, suggesting possible metadata errors.
• Column names and exact row counts are unknown, limiting precise understanding of data structure.
• Documentation may be sparse, as file formats include non-data types like PDF, HTML, and ISO.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Derived from SPOT HRV satellite imagery using sensor calibration and atmospheric correction.

Time Range

1987 to 1989 (growing seasons)

Freshness

Data collection ended in 1989; a metadata update was recorded on Data.gov in 2026.

Geography

39 FIFE (First ISLSCP Field Experiment) ground measurement sites.