Inventory of various satellite image data acquired for the Superior National Forest, MN study including MSS, TM, SPOT, and HRV1-HRV2 over a period from 03JUL1983 to 16AUG1990

This data set provides aircraft-based NS001 Thematic Mapper Simulator (TMS) images of the study area associated with The First ISLSCP (International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project) Field Experiment (FIFE) project conducted on the Konza Prairie in Kansas. The images were acquired during June 1987 to August 1989. The images in this data set were originally provided on the FIFE CD-ROM Volume 3.

A major aspect of the ground data collection effort in the SNF during the summers of 1983 and 1984 was the acquisition of helicopter canopy reflectance measurements. Canopy measurements were made at numerous sites with a helicopter-mounted Barnes multiband radiometer (MMR). MMR data were collected on ten dates in 1983 and eight dates in 1984. An additional Barnes radiometer was used to make simultaneous reference panel measurements. The canopy reflectance was derived from the canopy and reference panel measurements. All canopy and reference panel measurements were made under clear sky conditions. A majority of the helicopter measurements were taken at nadir view, although some off-nadir view angle measurements were taken primarily over black spruce and aspen sites. The reflectance factor is the ratio of radiant flux of the canopy measurement to that of the reference or calibration panel. Another component to be considered is atmospheric scatter, especially for aircraft measurements taken at higher altitudes. The amount of atmospheric scattering can be determined by using reflectance measurements of water targets. Reflectance measurements over water targets are included for all acquisitions in 1983. No water target measurements were taken during the 1984 field campaign. The summarized MMR data for both years, 1983 and 1984, are included in this data set. Fields include site ID number, number of observations averaged, code for altitude of instrument above the canopy, the time at which observations begin, the time at which observations end, sun zenith angle, sun azimuth angle, and reflectance for each of the bands (with standard deviations included within parenthesis). All measurements were taken at nadir, except where otherwise indicated. In 1984, MMR data were collected using off nadir view angles to measure the bi-directional reflectance characteristics of the forests.

Reflectance and transmittance properties of canopy components, measured by Cary-14 spectrometer and averaged (weighted average) to Thematic Mapper Simulator (TMS) wavelength bands; see SNF_CAN_SPEC

The Thematic Mapper sensor system was used to collect the original data between February 1987 and October 1989 from which this data set was produced. Landsat TM extract data contains the average instrument corrected spectral radiances for each of the seven spectral bands. In addition, the associated view and solar angles are available for each of 39 FIFE ground measurement sites. The Site Reflectances Extracted from Landsat TM Imagery Data Set also contains reflectance values and exoatmospheric reflectance values for these seven spectral bands. These reflectances were derived using the sensor calibrated radiances which were corrected for exoatmospheric effects using atmospheric aerosol optical thickness and gaseous absorption profile measurements, when available. The atmospheric correction algorithm of Fraser et al. (1989) was used to calculate reflectance in the visible and infrared channels. The thermal data were corrected using parameters derived from the Lowtran-7 atmospheric path radiance model (Kneizys et al. 1988).

As part of the FIFE staff science data processing effort, the FIFE Information System (FIS) extracted site average radiances from the level-1 NS001-TMS products. Data were collected by the NS001 during each of the FIFE IFC's. Selected flights were processed to level-1. The site averages were extracted from these processed images. Therefore, this data set contains a small number of observation dates for each site, but at the multiple angles provided by the grid pattern used during each flight. The data set can be used for canopy reflectance modeling studies. The site average radiances extracted from the NS001 imagery are instrument-corrected spectral radiances for each of the eight spectral bands. Geographic location and viewing and solar angles for each of 39 FIFE ground measurement sites are also included for each observation. The sensor calibrated radiance values were corrected using atmospheric aerosol optical thickness and gaseous absorption profile measurements, when available. The atmospheric correction algorithm of Fraser et al. (1989) was used to calculate reflectance in the visible and infrared channels. The thermal data are corrected using parameters derived from the Lowtran7 atmospheric path radiance model (Kneizys et al., 1988).

Site radiance, temperature means & std. dev derived from NS001 aircraft TMS

The BOREAS RSS-07 team used Landsat TM images processed at CCRS to produce images of LAI for the BOREAS study areas. Two images acquired on June 6 and August 9, 1991 were used for the SSA, and one image acquired on June 9, 1994 was used for the NSA. The LAI images are based on ground measurements and Landsat TM RSR images.

TL2IRKNS_7 is the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES)/Aura Level 2 Instantaneous Radiative Kernel Nadir Special Observation Version 7 data product. TES was an instrument aboard NASA's Aura satellite and was launched from California on July 15, 2004. Data collection for TES is complete. Using TES radiances, Jacobians and ozone profiles with hemispherical integration, it was possible to compute the TOA (top-of-atmosphere) flux from the infrared ozone band (in W/m2), instantaneous radiative kernels (IRK) (in W/m2/ppb), and logarithmic instantaneous radiative forcing kernels (LIRK) (in W/m2) for ozone. The IRK provided unique information for questions of chemistry-climate coupling since this was a direct measure of the radiative role of ozone, which explicitly accounted for more dominant radiative processes such as clouds and water vapor. These products can be compared to climate model predictions of the same quantities. TES Level 2 data contains retrieved species (or temperature) profiles at the observation targets and the estimated errors. The geolocation, quality, and other data (e.g., surface characteristics for nadir observations) were also provided. L2 modeled spectra were evaluated using radiative transfer modeling algorithms. The process, referred to as retrieval, compared observed spectra to the modeled spectra and iteratively updated the atmospheric parameters. L2 standard product files included information for one molecular species (or temperature) for an entire global survey or special observation run. A global survey consisted of a maximum of 16 consecutive orbits. A nadir sequence within the TES Global Survey was a fixed number of observations within an orbit for a Global Survey. Prior to April 24, 2005, it consisted of two low resolution scans over the same ground locations. After April 24, 2005, Global Survey data consisted of three low resolution scans. The Nadir standard product consisted of four files, where each file was composed of the Global Survey Nadir observations from one of four focal planes for a single orbit, i.e. 72 orbit sequences. The Global Survey Nadir observations only used a single set of filter mix. A Global Survey consisted of observations along 16 consecutive orbits at the start of a two day cycle, over which 3,200 retrievals were performed. Each observation was the input for retrievals of species volume mixing ratios (VMRs), temperature profiles, surface temperature and other data parameters with associated pressure levels, precision, total error, vertical resolution, total column density, and other diagnostic quantities. Each TES Level 2 standard product reported information in a swath format conforming to the HDF-EOS Aura File Format Guidelines. Each Swath object was bounded by the number of observations in a global survey and a predefined set of pressure levels representing slices through the atmosphere. Each standard product could have had a variable number of observations depending upon the Global Survey configuration and whether averaging is employed. Also, missing or bad retrievals were not reported. The organization of data within the Swath object was based on a superset of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) pressure levels that was used to report concentrations of trace atmospheric gases. The reporting grid was the same pressure grid used for modeling. There were 67 reporting levels from 1211.53 hPa, which allowed for very high surface pressure conditions, to 0.1 hPa, about 65 km. In addition, the products reported values directly at the surface when possible or at the observed cloud top level. Thus in the Standard Product files each observation could potentially contain estimates for the concentration of a particular molecule at 67 different pressure levels within the atmosphere. However, for most retrieved profiles, the highest pressure levels were not observed due to a surface at lower pressure or cloud obscuration. For pressure levels corresponding to altit

TL2TNS_7 is the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES)/Aura Level 2 Atmospheric Temperatures Nadir Special Observation Version 7 data product. TES was an instrument aboard NASA's Aura satellite and was launched from California on July 15, 2004. Data collection for TES is complete. This product contains atmospheric vertical profile estimates and associated errors (diagonals and covariance matrices), along with retrieved surface temperature, cloud effective optical depth, column estimates, quality flags, averaging kernels and priori constraint vectors. TES Level 2 data contain retrieved species (or temperature) profiles at the observation targets and the estimated errors. The geolocation, quality, and other data (e.g., surface characteristics for nadir observations) were also provided. L2 modeled spectra were evaluated using radiative transfer modeling algorithms. The process, referred to as retrieval, compared observed spectra to the modeled spectra and iteratively updated the atmospheric parameters. L2 standard product files included information for one molecular species (or temperature) for an entire global survey or special observation run. A global survey consisted of a maximum of 16 consecutive orbits. Nadir observations, which point directly to the surface of the Earth, are different from limb observations, which are pointed at various off-nadir angles into the atmosphere. Nadir and limb observations were added to separate L2 files, and a single ancillary file was composed of data that are common to both nadir and limb files. A Nadir sequence within the TES Global Survey was a fixed number of observations within an orbit for a Global Survey. Prior to April 24, 2005, it consisted of two low resolution scans over the same ground locations. After April 24, 2005, Global Survey data consisted of three low resolution scans. The Nadir standard product consists of four files, where each file is composed of the Global Survey Nadir observations from one of four focal planes for a single orbit, i.e. 72 orbit sequences. The Global Survey Nadir observations only used a single set of filter mix. A Global Survey consisted of observations along 16 consecutive orbits at the start of a two day cycle, over which 3,200 retrievals were performed. Each observation was the input for retrievals of species Volume Mixing Ratios (VMRs), temperature profiles, surface temperature, and other data parameters with associated pressure levels, precision, total error, vertical resolution, total column density, and other diagnostic quantities. Each TES Level 2 standard product reported information in a swath format conforming to the HDF-EOS Aura File Format Guidelines. Each Swath object was bounded by the number of observations in a global survey and a predefined set of pressure levels, representing slices through the atmosphere. Each standard product could have had a variable number of observations depending upon the Global Survey configuration and whether averaging was employed. Also, missing or bad retrievals were not reported. Further, observations were occasionally scheduled on non-global survey days. In general they were measurements made for validation purposes or with highly focused science objectives. Those non-global survey measurements were referred to as “special observations” The organization of data within the Swath object was based on a superset of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) pressure levels used to report concentrations of trace atmospheric gases. The reporting grid was the same pressure grid used for modeling. There were 67 reporting levels from 1211.53 hPa, which allowed for very high surface pressure conditions, to 0.1 hPa, about 65 km. In addition, the products reported values directly at the surface when possible or at the observed cloud top level. Thus in the Standard Product files, each observation could potentially contain estimates for the concentration of a particular molecule at 67 different pressure level