VNP43D18: VIIRS BRDF Geometric Parameter for Band M7

Global daily data provides the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) geometric parameter for the VIIRS satellite's M7 band (0.865 μm) at 30 arc-second (1,000 meter) resolution. This parameter, produced using a 16-day rolling window and temporally weighted to the ninth day, is part of a suite used to derive surface albedo and reflectance. It is formatted in a Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) for use in global climate simulation models.

Use Cases

• Deriving surface albedo for VIIRS band M7 based on the geometric BRDF parameter.
• Inputting BRDF model parameters into global climate simulation models based on the CMG format.
• Analyzing temporal changes in land surface reflectance using the daily, 16-day composite product.
• Cross-referencing BRDF parameters with other VIIRS bands (VNP43D01-VNP43D39) for full spectral analysis.

Strengths

• Provides a specific geometric parameter for a single VIIRS spectral band (M7 at 0.865 μm), enabling precise albedo derivation.
• Offers global coverage at a consistent 30 arc-second (1,000 meter) resolution in a Climate Modeling Grid.
• Incorporates improvements from a previous version, including a better calibration algorithm and geolocation accuracy.

Limitations

• Column names and specific data structure are unknown from all platform descriptions.
• Each file contains only one data layer due to large file size, which may complicate multi-band analysis.
• Metadata completeness varies across platforms; license is listed as 'other-license-specified' on datagov but is 'None' on nasa_earthdata.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Produced daily from the Suomi NPP VIIRS sensor using 16 days of data.

Freshness

2026-04-09 20:41:23.126390 (from datagov)

Geography

Global