VNP43D37: VIIRS Day/Night Band BRDF Isotropic Parameter

NASA/NOAA's Suomi NPP VIIRS VNP43D37 product provides the isotropic model parameter for the Day/Night Band at 0.7 μm, a key input for deriving surface reflectance and albedo. This daily, global dataset is generated at 1,000-meter resolution using a 16-day temporal composite weighted to the ninth day. Its Climate Modeling Grid format is specifically designed for integration into global climate simulation models.

Use Cases

• Modeling nocturnal surface albedo based on the Day/Night Band's isotropic BRDF parameter.
• Integrating low-light reflectance data into global climate simulations using the Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) format.
• Analyzing temporal changes in surface radiative properties from daily composites built from 16 days of observations.
• Calibrating or validating other satellite-derived albedo or reflectance products for the visible spectrum.

Strengths

• Provides a specific parameter (isotropic) for the unique VIIRS Day/Night Band, enabling low-light reflectance studies.
• Offers daily global coverage at a consistent 1,000-meter (30 arc-second) spatial resolution.
• Data is part of a versioned product suite (V002) with documented improvements in calibration and geolocation.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov signals its importance and established use.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing or conflicting: no column names, row counts, or file sizes are provided on any platform.
• The dataset's temporal coverage (start/end dates) is not specified, making historical analysis feasibility unclear.
• Each file contains only one data layer, requiring users to combine multiple files (VNP43D37-VNP43D39) for a complete BRDF model.

Provenance

Source

NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP satellite, Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor.

Collection Method

Produced daily using a 16-day data composite, temporally weighted to the ninth day.

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-04-09 according to nasa_earthdata and datagov.

Geography

Global coverage.