VNP43D82: Nadir-Adjusted Surface Reflectance for VIIRS Band M3

NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP VIIRS data provides daily, global Nadir BRDF-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) for the 0.488 μm band at a 1,000-meter resolution. Each daily value is modeled from a 16-day observation window, temporally weighted to the ninth day and adjusted to a nadir view at local solar noon. This specific VNP43D82 product was decommissioned in July 2025, with users directed to its Version 2 successor.

Use Cases

• Modeling land surface albedo for climate simulations based on the global Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) format.
• Analyzing temporal trends in surface reflectance using the daily, 16-day composite NBAR data product.
• Correcting for view-angle effects in satellite imagery to compare reflectance values as if taken from nadir at solar noon.
• Studying surface anisotropy and BRDF characteristics, though input data may be limited by known aerosol flag issues.

Strengths

• Provides global coverage on a standardized Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) designed for climate models.
• Offers daily temporal resolution with a consistent 16-day composite methodology for noise reduction.
• Appears on multiple authoritative platforms (NASA Earthdata, Data.gov), signaling its importance and validation.

Limitations

• This specific dataset (Version 1) is decommissioned (as of July 31, 2025), limiting its utility for current analysis.
• Known data quality issue: high aerosol flag activation in upstream products reduces acceptable observations for surface anisotropy characterization.
• Metadata is incomplete; column names, row counts, and exact file sizes are not provided in the sources.

Provenance

Source

NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS).

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing, processed using the NBAR algorithm to adjust directional reflectances.

Time Range

Daily production, but specific historical coverage range is not stated.

Freshness

2026-04-09 20:43:26.570260

Geography

Global