VNP43D35: VIIRS BRDF Volumetric Parameter for Shortwave Broadband

Daily global data from 2012 onward, produced using a 16-day rolling window and temporally weighted to the ninth day. This dataset provides the volumetric model parameter for the VIIRS shortwave broadband (1.61 μm), which is used in conjunction with isotropic and geometric parameters to derive Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) and Albedo values. It is part of a suite of 39 separate files covering different spectral bands and parameters, formatted for global climate simulation models at a 30 arc-second (1,000 meter) resolution.

Use Cases

• Deriving land surface albedo for climate models based on the BRDF model parameters.
• Analyzing temporal changes in surface reflectance anisotropy using the 16-day composite data.
• Inputting volumetric kernel weights into BRDF retrieval algorithms for the VIIRS shortwave broadband.
• Studying global land surface radiative properties at a climate modeling scale (30 arc-second CMG).

Strengths

• Provides a specific, critical component (volumetric parameter) for deriving BRDF/albedo, as part of a systematically organized global product suite.
• Offers daily, globally comprehensive coverage at a consistent 1km resolution in a Climate Modeling Grid format.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov signals its importance and official curation.

Limitations

• This Version 1 product was officially decommissioned on July 31, 2025, limiting its use for current research.
• Metadata is incomplete: column names, row counts, and exact file sizes are not provided across all sources.
• The dataset description notes a known issue where high aerosol flag activation in upstream data reduces the number of acceptable observations.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data processed through the VNP43 BRDF/Albedo algorithm.

Time Range

Daily from the Suomi NPP launch (2012) onward, using a 16-day composite window.

Freshness

2026-04-09 20:52:24.800487

Geography

Global