VIIRS/JPSS2 Vegetation Indices: 16-Day Global Data at 0.05 Degree Resolution

NOAA-21 VIIRS Vegetation Indices Version 2 data provides three primary vegetation indices—NDVI, EVI, and EVI2—calculated from the best available pixel over 16-day periods. The product includes additional layers for reflectance, quality metrics, and standard deviations, designed to promote continuity with the MODIS mission. It is produced by LPCLOUD and distributed via NASA Earthdata.

Use Cases

• Monitor global vegetation health and phenology based on the NDVI, EVI, and EVI2 indices.
• Assess canopy cover and chlorophyll sensitivity using the complementary EVI and NDVI layers.
• Perform quality control and uncertainty analysis for vegetation studies using the included standard deviation and pixel reliability layers.
• Compare vegetation trends across sensor platforms using the EVI2 index, which addresses cross-model comparison issues.

Strengths

• Provides three established vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI, EVI2) for comparative analysis.
• Includes 16 additional data layers for reflectance, quality, and statistical metrics.
• Designed for continuity with the long-term MODIS Terra and Aqua Vegetation Indices product suite.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

LPCLOUD, distributed via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Processed from NOAA-21 VIIRS sensor data by selecting the best available pixel over 16-day periods.

Time Range

Temporal coverage, or null.

Freshness

Update frequency or recency, or null.

Geography

Global coverage at 0.05 degree resolution.