VNP03MODLL: VIIRS Terrain-Corrected Geolocation Swaths

The VIIRS/NPP Moderate Resolution Terrain Corrected Geolocation 6-Min L1 Swath 750m Light V002 product provides geolocation data in 6-minute satellite swaths at 750-meter resolution. It is a foundational terrain-corrected geolocation product for the Suomi NPP satellite, containing layers for height, latitude, and longitude to spatially locate other VIIRS data products. Each data swath covers an area approximately 3,060 kilometers along track and 3,060 kilometers across track.

Use Cases

• Precise geolocation of VIIRS fire detection (VNP14) and vegetation index (VNP13) products based on the provided latitude, longitude, and height layers.
• Terrain correction for atmospheric and land surface studies using the SRTM30 Version 2 digital elevation model integrated into the geolocation algorithm.
• Improving geolocation accuracy for downstream products in mid-to-high latitude deserts and tropical vegetation areas, as noted in the version improvements.
• Spatial alignment and co-registration of multi-temporal VIIRS swath imagery using the consistent 6-minute, 750-meter resolution framework.

Strengths

• Provides high-resolution (750m) geolocation with terrain correction based on the SRTM30 Version 2 DEM.
• Version 2 includes documented improvements to calibration, geolocation accuracy, and aerosol flag corrections impacting downstream products.
• Swath dimensions are explicitly defined (approx. 3060 km x 3060 km), providing clear spatial coverage per data increment.

Limitations

• Complete column names and dataset size/row counts are not provided in any source, limiting precise technical assessment.
• Spatial coverage is limited to areas from 60° North to 60° South due to the underlying GTOPO30 data used in the DEM.
• Relies on conjunction with another product (VNP14) for full accurate geolocation information, as stated in the description.

Provenance

Source

NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) VIIRS sensor.

Collection Method

Produced by intersecting the VIIRS line of sight vector with Earth's geoid and the WGS ellipsoid.

Time Range

Covers the entire Suomi NPP mission, with version 2 incorporating improved coefficients for the full mission timeline.

Freshness

2026-04-09 (from datagov)

Geography

Global coverage, but terrain correction is based on SRTM30/GTOPO30 data valid from 60° North to 60° South.