ASTER Level 1B Radiance Data for Iowa Soil Moisture Experiment

Iowa-based ASTER Level 1B radiance data from the 2002 Soil Moisture Experiment (SMEX02). The dataset provides 14 spectral bands across visible, shortwave, and thermal infrared wavelengths, processed with geometric and radiometric correction. It is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Use Cases

• Analyzing surface temperature and thermal inertia using the five Thermal Infrared (TIR) bands.
• Mapping vegetation and soil properties with the three Visible and Near-infrared (VNIR) and six Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) bands.
• Validating soil moisture models by correlating surface radiance with ground measurements from the SMEX02 campaign.
• Performing land cover classification via the 14 distinct spectral channels.

Strengths

• Contains 14 calibrated spectral bands (3 VNIR, 6 SWIR, 5 TIR) for detailed spectral analysis.
• Data is processed to Level 1B with both geometric and radiometric corrections applied.
• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData indicates established importance and accessibility.

Limitations

• Conflicting last updated dates: Data.gov lists 2026-03 12 (likely a placeholder), while NASA EarthData lists 2002-07-01.
• Key technical details like row count, file size, and specific column names are not provided by any source.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the ASTER instrument, processed to Level 1B (radiance).

Time Range

2002

Freshness

2002-07-01 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Iowa, United States