VNP43D59: Black-Sky Albedo for VIIRS Band M7 at 1km Global Scale

VNP43D59 Version 1 provides daily black-sky albedo values for the VIIRS band M7 (0.865 μm) at a 30 arc-second (1,000 meter) resolution. The data product is generated using a 16-day rolling window, temporally weighted to the ninth day, and is formatted in a global Climate Modeling Grid (CMG). This dataset was decommissioned on July 31, 2025, with users directed to newer Version 2 products.

Use Cases

• Modeling surface energy balance based on black-sky albedo (directional hemispherical reflectance) values.
• Analyzing temporal trends in land surface reflectance using a daily, 16-day composite product.
• Integrating albedo data into climate simulation models using the global Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) format.
• Studying aerosol impacts on surface reflectance, referencing known issues with high aerosol flag activation.

Strengths

• Provides global coverage in a Climate Modeling Grid designed for climate simulation models.
• Offers a specific geophysical parameter (black-sky albedo) at a consistent 1,000-meter spatial resolution.
• Maintained by a recognized organization (LPCLOUD/NASA/NOAA), indicating institutional support.

Limitations

• The dataset is decommissioned (as of July 31, 2025), directing users to newer versions.
• Critical metadata (column names, row counts, file sizes) is consistently listed as 'unknown' or 'None' across all sources.
• A known data quality issue is noted regarding abnormally high activation of the high aerosol flag.

Provenance

Source

NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP VIIRS sensor, processed by LPCLOUD.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data processed through the VNP43D BRDF/Albedo algorithm suite.

Time Range

Daily production using a 16-day data window; specific date range not provided.

Freshness

2026-04-09 20:44:11.098574

Geography

Global