Daily Global Albedo Data at 1 km Resolution

Daily global albedo measurements from 2012 to present are provided by the VIIRS/NPP Albedo Daily L3 Global 1km SIN Grid NRT product. It offers 36 science dataset layers, including black-sky and white-sky albedo values for nine moderate bands and three broadbands, generated using a semi-empirical BRDF model. This near-real-time dataset is produced by NASA's LANCEMODIS organization.

Use Cases

• Modeling surface energy balance by analyzing black-sky albedo (BSA) and white-sky albedo (WSA) layers across visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR), and shortwave infrared (SWIR) broadbands.
• Tracking seasonal snow and ice cover changes using daily albedo values in the M1-M5, M7-M8, and M10-M11 moderate bands.
• Validating climate models by comparing modeled albedo against the 1 km resolution, near-real-time observational data.
• Studying land surface anisotropy and bidirectional reflectance effects with the RossThick/Li-Sparse-Reciprocal (RTLSR) kernel-driven model parameters.
• Assessing vegetation health and land cover changes through time-series analysis of albedo in specific spectral bands.

Strengths

• Provides high-resolution (1 km) global coverage on a daily basis in near-real-time.
• Contains 36 scientifically validated layers, including albedo values and mandatory quality flags for multiple spectral bands.
• Uses a documented, peer-reviewed methodology based on the RTLSR BRDF model, with an available Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and total data volume are not provided by any source.
• The product relies on a 16-day rolling window of VIIRS data for daily albedo calculation, which may smooth rapid surface changes.
• Sources conflict on license details, with one specifying 'other-license-specified' and another providing no license information.

Provenance

Source

NASA LANCEMODIS, derived from VIIRS/NPP satellite data.

Collection Method

Generated daily using the VNP43 algorithm, which applies the RTLSR BRDF model to a 16-day window of VIIRS observations.

Time Range

2012 to present (implied by NPP satellite mission and near-real-time production).

Freshness

2026-03-12 19:59:04.447217

Geography

Global coverage on a 1 km sinusoidal (SIN) grid.