JPSS S-NPP Land Surface Temperature Product: Beta and Provisional Release Status

The U.S. Joint Polar-orbiting Satellite System (JPSS) launched its first satellite, the Suomi NPP (S-NPP) satellite, in October 2011. Subsequent satellites of the JPSS mission have been scheduled for launch in 2017 (JPSS-1 satellite) and afterward (JPSS-2 satellite). The Center for SaTellite Applications and Research (STAR) at the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is responsible for producing operational land surface environmental data record (EDR) products for the JPSS mission, including land surface temperature (LST). The LST production is based on the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor onboard the JPSS satellites. The NOAA LST EDR team at NOAA/NESDIS/STAR has performed intensive testing and evaluation on the VIIRS LST product since the S-NPP satellite launch. An early version (beta release) of the VIIRS LST data was approved to release in January 2013, and a provisional version (optimized version) of the VIIRS LST data was approved in June 2013; improved versions, with better calibration and more extensive validation, will be released at in middle of 2014. This presentation shows details of the VIIRS LST development, evaluation and calibration performed since the S-NPP lunch.