NPOESS/NPP VIIRS Cryosphere Algorithms

The Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is one of the instruments that make up the suite of sensors to be flown on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). First launch of the VIIRS will be on the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) mission. VIIRS data will be used to produce many Environmental Data Records (EDRs). VIIRS Cryosphere products will include EDRs for Snow Cover, Sea Ice Characterization and Ice Surface Temperature. Sea Ice Concentration will be produced as a VIIRS intermediate product (IP). The VIIRS Snow Cover EDR, produced during day, consists of a binary snow cover extent map produced at VIIRS imagery resolution (375 m @ nadir) and a snow fraction product produced at VIIRS moderate resolution (750 m @ nadir). The VIIRS Sea Ice Characterization EDR, produced both day and night, provides classification of sea ice age at VIIRS moderate resolution. Thinner "New/Young" ice is distinguished from "All Other" thicker first and multi-year ices. The VIIRS Sea Ice Concentration IP will be produced at VIIRS imagery resolution for both day and night. The VIIRS Ice Surface Temperature EDR provides temperatures retrieved at VIIRS moderate resolution for both day and night over ice surfaces. An overview is provided of the current status of the NPOESS/NPP VIIRS suite of Cryosphere products and results are presented based on pre-launch testing using MODIS proxy data as well as global synthetic data.