JPSS-1 VIIRS Radiometric Characterization and Calibration Based on Pre-Launch Testing

Hassan Oudrari, Jeff McIntire, Xiaoxiong Xiong, James Butler, Qiang Ji, Thomas Schwarting, Shihyan Lee, Boryana Efremova
2016 Remote Sensing  
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on-board the first Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) completed its sensor level testing on December 2014. The JPSS-1 (J1) mission is scheduled to launch in December 2016, and will be very similar to the Suomi-National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) mission. VIIRS instrument has 22 spectral bands covering the spectrum between 0.4 and 12.6 µm. It is a cross-track scanning radiometer capable of providing global measurements twice daily,
more » ... ough observations at two spatial resolutions, 375 m and 750 m at nadir for the imaging and moderate bands, respectively. This paper will briefly describe J1 VIIRS characterization and calibration performance and methodologies executed during the pre-launch testing phases by the government independent team to generate the at-launch baseline radiometric performance and the metrics needed to populate the sensor data record (SDR) Look-Up-Tables (LUTs). This paper will also provide an assessment of the sensor pre-launch radiometric performance, such as the sensor signal to noise ratios (SNRs), radiance dynamic range, reflective and emissive bands calibration performance, polarization sensitivity, spectral performance, response-vs-scan (RVS), and scattered light response. A set of performance metrics generated during the pre-launch testing program will be compared to both the VIIRS sensor specification and the SNPP VIIRS pre-launch performance. Remote Sens. 2016, 8, 41 NOAA, Aerospace Corporation, NASA Science Team, and University of Wisconsin team for their valuable contributions to VIIRS testing and performance verifications. We also want to thank James McCarthy (Stellar Solutions), David Moyer (Aerospace Corporation), Chris Moeller (University of Wisconsin), and previous VCST members for their valuable support to the VIIRS program and to the pre-launch calibration and characterization effort. Author Contributions: Hassan Oudrari was the lead author who provided the outline of the paper, contributed to the introduction, the sensor design and the sensor testing, and the compilation of the final paper. Jeff McIntire provided the thermal emissive bands performance assessment, the response versus scan-angle performance, and the polarization sensitivity assessment. Xiaoxiong Xiong provided contribution to the sensor design and testing description, and the review of the paper at multiple phases to enhance quality and consistency. James Butler provided the contribution to the sensor design and testing description, and the review of the paper at multiple phases to enhance quality and consistency. Qiang Ji provided the reflective solar bands performance, the stray light performance, and near field performance assessments. Thomas Schwarting provided the relative spectral response assessments, and contributions to the response versus scan-angle. Shihyan Lee provided contributions to the DNB performance, the reflective solar bands performance, response versu scan-angle performance assessments. Boryana Efremova provided assessments to the thermal emissive bands performance assessments. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
doi:10.3390/rs8010041 fatcat:eqcubrn2i5gqxglmwmfr37lcvm