The flight sensors for the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) are now undergoing their final pre-launch characterization and calibration. The NPOESS Integrated Program Office (IPO) Data Products Division (NDPD) has generated the performance assessments for the Ocean Environmental Data Records (EDRs) of the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The VIIRS Ocean EDRs include the Ocean Color/Chlorophyll (OC/C) and Sea Surface Temperature (SST). The EDR Assessments were developed by the NDPD in consultation with subject matter experts from government labs and universities to collect and track algorithm development status and expected performance against contractual specifications and applicability to user missions.

This poster summarizes the ocean assessments and provides an overview of the NPP ocean data products. For each algorithm, the current best estimate, performance drivers, watch items, and mitigation strategies are presented. The NPP EDR Assessments are used to capture and communicate algorithm issues and expected performance to the Program stakeholders and will be updated as sensor testing and algorithm developments continue. VIIRS ocean color products are expected to perform at a lower quality than is currently obtained with the Aqua MODIS ocean products due to VIIRS optical cross-talk effects. SST will meet heritage performance.