VNP43D73: VIIRS/NPP White-Sky Albedo for Band M8 Daily Global Climate Grid

Daily global white-sky albedo data for the VIIRS M8 band (1.240 μm) is produced using a 16-day rolling composite at 1,000-meter resolution. The dataset is part of the VNP43D BRDF/Albedo suite, formatted on a Climate Modeling Grid for use in climate simulations. It provides bihemispherical reflectance values, representing albedo under isotropic diffuse light conditions.

Use Cases

• Incorporating surface reflectance parameters into climate simulation models based on the Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) format.
• Analyzing temporal trends in land surface albedo using the daily, 16-day composite time series.
• Studying the spectral behavior of surfaces in the near-infrared (1.240 μm) band for vegetation or soil moisture research.
• Comparing white-sky albedo (isotropic diffuse conditions) with black-sky albedo for full BRDF characterization.

Strengths

• Provides a specific, physically-defined parameter (white-sky albedo) for a key VIIRS spectral band (M8 at 1.240 μm).
• Offers global coverage on a standardized Climate Modeling Grid, designed for direct use in climate models.
• The dataset has undergone version improvements, including an improved calibration algorithm for the entire Suomi NPP mission.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing from all sources: no row/column count, file size, or explicit temporal coverage range.
• Each file contains only one data layer, which may require combining multiple files for a complete spectral analysis.
• Documentation for known issues is external, requiring users to visit a separate assessment website.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the Suomi NPP VIIRS instrument, processed through the VNP43D BRDF/Albedo algorithm.

Time Range

Daily production using a 16-day data composite; specific start and end dates are not provided.

Freshness

2026-04-09 21:15:11.624139

Geography

Global