VIIRS/NPP BRDF/Albedo Quality Daily L3 Global 500 m SIN Grid NRT

The VNP43IA2N product is produced daily using 16-day VIIRS data (i.e., the current day and the previous 15 days to produce 16-day product). The VNP43 algorithm uses the RossThick/Li-Sparse-Reciprocal (RTLSR) semi-empirical kernel-driven BRDF model, with the three kernel weights from VNP43IA1N to reconstruct surface anisotropic effects, correcting the directional reflectance to a common view geometry (VNP43IA4N), while also computing integrated black-sky albedo (BSA) at local solar noon and white-sky albedo (WSA) (VNP43IA3N).

Researchers can use the BRDF model parameters with a simple polynomial, to obtain black-sky albedo at any solar illumination angle. Likewise, both the BSA and WSA Science Dataset (SDS) layers can be used with a simple polynomial, to manually estimate instantaneous actual albedo (blue-sky albedo). Additional details regarding the methodology are available in the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD) at lpdaac.usgs.gov/sites/default/files/public/product_documentation/vnp43_v1_atbd.pdf.