VJ121C2: 8-Day Global Land Surface Temperature and Emissivity at 5.6km

VJ121C2 is an 8-day composite product providing land surface temperature and emissivity data at a 0.05-degree (~5,600 meter) resolution. It contains 25 to 27 science datasets, including daytime and nighttime LST, quality control, view zenith angle, time of observation, and emissivity for VIIRS bands M14, M15, and M16 within a single HDF file. The dataset is formatted as a Climate Modeling Grid to support continuity with MODIS Terra and Aqua products for climate simulation models.

Use Cases

• Climate model validation based on 8-day composited, cloud-free land surface temperature averages.
• Urban heat island analysis using separate daytime and nighttime temperature layers.
• Land surface energy budget modeling supported by emissivity data for VIIRS bands M14, M15, and M16.
• Assessing long-term land surface temperature trends from a data record compatible with MODIS.

Strengths

• Contains 25 to 27 distinct science datasets, providing multiple variables like LST, emissivity, and quality control in a single file.
• Features continuity with the MODIS Terra and Aqua mission algorithms, supporting long-term Earth Observation System studies.
• Uses an improved calibration algorithm and coefficients for the entire NOAA-20 mission, as noted in version 2 changes.

Limitations

• Sources conflict on the exact number of Science Datasets (SDS), reporting either 25 or 27 variables.
• Key metadata such as spatial row/column count, temporal coverage, and complete column names are not provided in the input.
• Users must refer to external documentation for known issues, indicating potential data quality nuances not described here.

Provenance

Source

LPCLOUD (NASA/NOAA)

Collection Method

Algorithmically composited from daily NOAA-20 VIIRS sensor acquisitions (VJ121A1D and VJ121A1N products) using a simple-averaging method over 8-day periods.

Freshness

2026-04-09 21:03:51.056993

Geography

Global