VNP43D69: VIIRS White-Sky Albedo for Band M3 Daily Global Climate Grid

NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP VIIRS satellite data provides daily white-sky albedo (WSA) measurements for the M3 band (0.488 μm) at a 30 arc-second (1,000 meter) global resolution. Each daily value is produced using a 16-day data window, temporally weighted to the ninth day, and formatted for Climate Modeling Grids (CMG). This dataset is part of a larger BRDF/Albedo product suite designed for modeling surface radiative properties.

Use Cases

• Parameterizing climate simulation models based on daily, globally-complete albedo data.
• Analyzing temporal trends in surface reflectance for the 0.488 μm (blue-green) spectrum.
• Studying land surface anisotropy and bihemispherical reflectance (white-sky albedo).
• Integrating VIIRS albedo data with other moderate resolution bands (M1-M5, M7, M8, M10, M11) for broader spectral analysis.

Strengths

• Provides daily, global coverage at a consistent 1,000-meter resolution suitable for climate-scale analysis.
• Data incorporates improved calibration and geolocation algorithms for the entire Suomi NPP mission.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA and U.S. government portals signals established importance and reliability.

Limitations

• Key metadata conflicts: one source lists a future 'last updated' date (2026-03-12), suggesting potential data entry errors.
• Column names and precise data structure (e.g., file layer format) are not explicitly provided in any source.
• Each product file contains only one data layer, requiring multiple files for a complete spectral analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the Suomi NPP spacecraft's Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS).

Time Range

Covers the operational period of the Suomi NPP mission; daily production.

Freshness

2026-03 12 20:31:12.704218 (from datagov, but this appears to be a future date)

Geography

Global coverage in a Climate Modeling Grid (CMG).