VJ143D33: VIIRS NIR BRDF Geometric Parameter for Global Climate Modeling

NOAA-20 VIIRS BRDF/Albedo Model Parameter 3 NIR (VJ143D33) provides the geometric kernel parameter for the near-infrared broadband (0.865 μm). This daily product is generated using a 16-day rolling window of data at a 30 arc-second (1,000 meter) global Climate Modeling Grid resolution. The geometric parameter, combined with isotropic and volumetric parameters, is used to derive surface bidirectional reflectance and albedo for climate and land surface studies.

Use Cases

• Deriving surface albedo for climate simulation models based on the three BRDF model parameters.
• Analyzing land surface anisotropy and reflectance patterns in the near-infrared spectrum.
• Incorporating temporally smoothed, daily surface reflectance data into Earth system models.
• Studying seasonal and interannual changes in surface radiative properties using a consistent global grid.

Strengths

• Provides a specific, critical input (geometric kernel) for deriving BRDF and albedo.
• Offers global coverage on a standardized Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) at 1km resolution.
• Incorporates algorithmic improvements from the S-NPP VIIRS V002 version, including better calibration and geolocation.

Limitations

• Metadata for row count, file size, and specific columns is unavailable across all sources.
• Each file contains only a single data layer, requiring multiple files for a complete BRDF model.
• Data freshness is unclear; the last updated date (2026-04-09) appears to be a future placeholder, indicating potential metadata issues.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Processed from NOAA-20 Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor data.

Time Range

Daily production using a rolling 16-day data window.

Freshness

2026-04 09 20:49:51.022072 (This appears to be an erroneous future date, suggesting metadata may not reflect actual updates.)

Geography

Global coverage on a Climate Modeling Grid (CMG).