VJ143D13: VIIRS BRDF Isotropic Parameter for Band M5

NOAA-20 VIIRS satellite data provides a single model parameter for calculating how the Earth's surface reflects light in the red visible spectrum. This daily, global product at 1-kilometer resolution is generated by temporally weighting 16 days of observations and is formatted specifically for climate simulation models. VJ143D13 is one of 39 separate files containing the three BRDF parameters needed to derive full surface albedo and anisotropy.

Use Cases

• Parameterizing land surface reflectance in climate models based on the Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) format.
• Deriving surface albedo for Band M5 (0.672 μm) by combining the isotropic, volumetric, and geometric parameters.
• Monitoring temporal changes in surface directional reflectance properties using the daily, 16-day composite product.
• Assessing improvements in satellite data processing, such as calibration and geolocation, referenced in the version notes.

Strengths

• Provides global coverage at a consistent 30 arc-second (1,000 meter) spatial resolution.
• Data is produced daily using a 16-day composite to reduce noise, with temporal weighting to the ninth day.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov signals its importance and standardization for the research community.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low; specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided on any platform.
• Each of the 39 parameter files contains only one data layer, requiring users to manage and combine multiple large files for a complete analysis.
• Known data quality issues exist, requiring users to consult an external website for complete information.

Provenance

Source

LPCLOUD (NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center)

Collection Method

Processed from NOAA-20 VIIRS satellite observations using a documented BRDF/Albedo algorithm.

Time Range

Daily production, using a rolling 16-day data window.

Freshness

2026-04-09 20:50:21.681749

Geography

Global