VIIRS/JPSS2 Snow Cover Locations from 375m Resolution Satellite Swath

Snow cover locations are identified using radiance data from the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the JPSS-2 satellite. The data set uses the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) and quality control screens to report snow cover. It is provided by the NSIDC_CPRD organization via the NASA Earthdata platform.

Use Cases

• Monitor seasonal snow cover extent based on the NDSI index.
• Assess snowpack dynamics for hydrological modeling based on the geospatial snow cover data.
• Validate and calibrate other snow cover models or datasets based on the VIIRS-derived quality-controlled data.

Strengths

• Data is derived from the VIIRS instrument on the JPSS-2 satellite, a specific and authoritative source.
• Snow cover identification uses the established Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) method.
• Data includes quality control screens, suggesting a structured validation process.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count, file formats, and data size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

NSIDC_CPRD organization, via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Radiance data acquired by the VIIRS instrument on the JPSS-2 satellite, processed using NDSI and quality screens.

Time Range

Temporal coverage is not specified in the provided input.

Freshness

Last updated date is unknown.

Geography

Spatial coverage is not specified, but the 'swath' nature suggests it is likely global or regional satellite overpass data.