Land Surface Reflectance

Overview

The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Surface Reflectance products suite provides an estimate of the surface spectral reflectance parameter as if it were measured at ground level in the absence of atmospheric scattering or absorption. MODIS Level 1B top-of-atmosphere calibrated instrument data are corrected for atmospheric gases and aerosols before serving as inputs to produce the Level 2 (L2) Surface Reflectance product. These L2 inputs are used to generate additional higher-level gridded products. The MODIS suite, each for Terra and Aqua, contains four product types:

  • One L2 atmospherically corrected surface reflectance, 5-minute product
  • Two L2 gridded (L2G) daily surface reflectance products
  • Two Level-3 (L3) 8-day surface reflectance products
  • One L3 daily surface reflectance Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) product.
The MODIS L2 Atmospherically Corrected Surface Reflectance, 5-minute products from Terra (MOD09) and Aqua (MYD09) are archived and distributed by LAADS DAAC. The rest of the MODIS Surface Reflectance product suite is archived and distributed by LP DAAC, which include the following:

Product Information

Product Details

Product Name Terra Aqua
Atmospherically Corrected Surface Reflectance 5-Min L2 Swath 250m, 500m, 1km

Overview

The Visible Infra-red Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) surface reflectance products suite provides estimates of surface reflectance derived from each of the twelve VIIRS reflective bands. Surface reflectance is derived by adjusting top-of-atmosphere reflectance to compensate for atmospheric effects. The VIIRS Level 1B (L1B) top-of-atmosphere calibrated instrument data, following corrections to address atmospheric gases and aerosols are used to produce the Level 2 (L2) product. These L2 inputs help generate additional higher-level gridded products. Three VIIRS surface reflectance suites are available from the following three missions/platforms: Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP), NOAA-20/Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1), and NOAA-21/Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2). Each VIIRS suite contains four product types:

  • One L2 atmospherically corrected surface reflectance, 6-minute product
  • One L2 gridded (L2G) daily surface reflectance product
  • Two Level-3 (L3) 8-day surface reflectance products
  • One L3 daily surface reflectance Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) product.
The VIIRS L2 Atmospherically Corrected Surface Reflectance, 6-minute products from SNPP (VNP09), JPSS-1/NOAA-20 (VJ109), and JPSS-2/NOAA-21 (VJ209) are archived and distributed by the LAADS DAAC. The rest of the VIIRS Surface Reflectance product suite is archived and distributed by LP DAAC, which include the following:

Product Information

Product Details

Product Suomi NPP JPSS-1 JPSS-2
Atmospherically Corrected Surface Reflectance 6-Min L2 Swath IP 375m, 750m