VIIRS Cloud Mask Data with 750-Meter Nadir Resolution

The VIIRS/Suomi-NPP Cloud Mask 6-Min Swath 750m is a Level-2 satellite product that provides a pixel-level confidence assessment for an unobstructed view of Earth's surface. It is generated by the LAADS organization using a series of visible and infrared threshold tests on radiances collected by the Suomi-NPP satellite's VIIRS instrument. The dataset's availability across multiple government platforms indicates its established use in the remote sensing community.

Use Cases

• Cloud detection and frequency analysis using the per-pixel confidence mask.
• Surface observation validation by identifying pixels with high confidence of being cloud-free.
• Shadow detection for correcting surface reflectance estimates in satellite imagery.
• Algorithm development for new cloud mask techniques by leveraging the visible and infrared threshold tests.

Strengths

• Provides high spatial resolution data at 750 meters at nadir.
• Algorithm employs multiple spectral tests (visible and infrared) for confidence assessment.
• Includes an indication of shadows affecting the scene, adding contextual information.

Limitations

• Specific column names and dataset size (row/volume counts) are not provided by any source.
• Data quality can be affected by incomplete or poor-quality input radiances, leading to holes in the cloud mask.
• Sources conflict on license details, with some specifying 'other-license-specified' and others listing 'None'.

Provenance

Source

LAADS (Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive & Distribution System)

Collection Method

Generated from radiometrically-accurate radiances collected by the VIIRS instrument aboard the Suomi-NPP satellite.

Time Range

null

Freshness

2026-03-12 20:09:54.112159

Geography

Global swath coverage from the Suomi-NPP satellite orbit.