Prelaunch Reflective Solar Band Radiometric Performance of JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRS

The Joint Polar Satellite System 3 (JPSS-3) and -4 (JPSS-4) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments are the last in the series (S-NPP VIIRS launched in October 2011, JPSS-1 VIIRS launched in November 2017, and JPSS-2 VIIRS launched in November 2022) of highly advanced polar-orb...

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Main Authors: Amit Angal, David Moyer, Xiaoxiong Xiong, Qiang Ji, Daniel Link
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/24/4799
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author Amit Angal
David Moyer
Xiaoxiong Xiong
Qiang Ji
Daniel Link
author_facet Amit Angal
David Moyer
Xiaoxiong Xiong
Qiang Ji
Daniel Link
author_sort Amit Angal
collection DOAJ
description The Joint Polar Satellite System 3 (JPSS-3) and -4 (JPSS-4) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments are the last in the series (S-NPP VIIRS launched in October 2011, JPSS-1 VIIRS launched in November 2017, and JPSS-2 VIIRS launched in November 2022) of highly advanced polar-orbiting environmental satellites. Both instruments underwent a comprehensive sensor-level thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing at the Raytheon Technologies El Segundo facility to characterize the spatial, spectral, and radiometric aspects of the VIIRS sensor performance. This paper focuses on the radiometric performance of the 14 reflective solar bands (RSBs) that cover the wavelength range from 0.41 to 2.3 µm. Key instrument calibration parameters such as instrument gain, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), dynamic range, and radiometric calibration uncertainty were derived from the TVAC measurements for both the primary and redundant electronics at three instrument temperature plateaus: cold, nominal, and hot. This paper shows that all the JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRS RSB detectors have been well characterized, with key performance metrics comparable to the previous VIIRS instruments on-orbit. The radiometric calibration uncertainty of the RSBs is within the 2% requirement, except in the case of band M1 of JPSS-4. Comparison of the radiometric performance to sensor requirements, as well as a summary of key instrument testing and performance issues, is also presented.
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spelling doaj-art-e82d6c3b52104ece9445f8a7067bb04b2025-08-20T02:43:21ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922024-12-011624479910.3390/rs16244799Prelaunch Reflective Solar Band Radiometric Performance of JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRSAmit Angal0David Moyer1Xiaoxiong Xiong2Qiang Ji3Daniel Link4Science Systems and Applications Inc., 10210 Greenbelt Road, Lanham, MD 20706, USAThe Aerospace Corporation, 2310 E. El Segundo Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245, USANASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USAScience Systems and Applications Inc., 10210 Greenbelt Road, Lanham, MD 20706, USAScience Systems and Applications Inc., 10210 Greenbelt Road, Lanham, MD 20706, USAThe Joint Polar Satellite System 3 (JPSS-3) and -4 (JPSS-4) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments are the last in the series (S-NPP VIIRS launched in October 2011, JPSS-1 VIIRS launched in November 2017, and JPSS-2 VIIRS launched in November 2022) of highly advanced polar-orbiting environmental satellites. Both instruments underwent a comprehensive sensor-level thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing at the Raytheon Technologies El Segundo facility to characterize the spatial, spectral, and radiometric aspects of the VIIRS sensor performance. This paper focuses on the radiometric performance of the 14 reflective solar bands (RSBs) that cover the wavelength range from 0.41 to 2.3 µm. Key instrument calibration parameters such as instrument gain, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), dynamic range, and radiometric calibration uncertainty were derived from the TVAC measurements for both the primary and redundant electronics at three instrument temperature plateaus: cold, nominal, and hot. This paper shows that all the JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRS RSB detectors have been well characterized, with key performance metrics comparable to the previous VIIRS instruments on-orbit. The radiometric calibration uncertainty of the RSBs is within the 2% requirement, except in the case of band M1 of JPSS-4. Comparison of the radiometric performance to sensor requirements, as well as a summary of key instrument testing and performance issues, is also presented.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/24/4799JPSSVIIRSRSBprelaunchEDR
spellingShingle Amit Angal
David Moyer
Xiaoxiong Xiong
Qiang Ji
Daniel Link
Prelaunch Reflective Solar Band Radiometric Performance of JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRS
Remote Sensing
JPSS
VIIRS
RSB
prelaunch
EDR
title Prelaunch Reflective Solar Band Radiometric Performance of JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRS
title_full Prelaunch Reflective Solar Band Radiometric Performance of JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRS
title_fullStr Prelaunch Reflective Solar Band Radiometric Performance of JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRS
title_full_unstemmed Prelaunch Reflective Solar Band Radiometric Performance of JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRS
title_short Prelaunch Reflective Solar Band Radiometric Performance of JPSS-3 and -4 VIIRS
title_sort prelaunch reflective solar band radiometric performance of jpss 3 and 4 viirs
topic JPSS
VIIRS
RSB
prelaunch
EDR
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/24/4799
work_keys_str_mv AT amitangal prelaunchreflectivesolarbandradiometricperformanceofjpss3and4viirs
AT davidmoyer prelaunchreflectivesolarbandradiometricperformanceofjpss3and4viirs
AT xiaoxiongxiong prelaunchreflectivesolarbandradiometricperformanceofjpss3and4viirs
AT qiangji prelaunchreflectivesolarbandradiometricperformanceofjpss3and4viirs
AT daniellink prelaunchreflectivesolarbandradiometricperformanceofjpss3and4viirs