The NOAA-20 Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) NASA Level-2 (L2) Cloud Mask is one of two continuity products designed to sustain the long-term records of both Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and VIIRS heritages. CLDMSK_L2_VIIRS_NOAA20_NRT is the shortname for the NOAA-20 VIIRS Near Real-time incarnation of the Cloud Mask continuity product derived from the MODIS-VIIRS cloud mask (MVCM) algorithm, which itself is based on the MODIS (MOD35) algorithm. MVCM describes a continuity algorithm that is central to both MODIS data (from Terra and Aqua missions) and VIIRS data (from SNPP and Joint Polar Satellite System missions). Please bear in mind that the term MVCM does not appear as an attribute within the product’s metadata. Implemented to consistently handle MODIS and VIIRS inputs, the NOAA-20 VIIRS collection-1 products use calibration-adjusted NASA VIIRS L1B as inputs. The nominal spatial resolution of the NOAA-20 VIIRS L2 Cloud mask is 750 meters.

The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) NASA standard Level-2 (L2) dark target (DT) aerosol product provides satellite-derived measurements of Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) and their properties over land and ocean, and spectral AOT and their size parameters over oceans every 6 minutes, globally. The VIIRS incarnation of the DT aerosol product is based on the same DT algorithm that was developed and used to derive products from the Terra and Aqua mission’s MODIS instruments. Two separate and distinct DT algorithms exist. One helps retrieve aerosol information over ocean (dark in visible and longer wavelengths), while the second aids retrievals over vegetated/dark-soiled land (dark in the visible).

The VIIRS/SNPP Cloud Properties 6-min L2 Swath 750m product is designed to facilitate continuity in cloud properties between the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on the Aqua and Terra platforms and the series of VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) instruments, beginning with the Suomi NPP spacecraft. The VIIRS Cloud Properties product consists of cloud optical and physical parameters. These parameters are derived using observations in visible through infrared spectral channels. VIIRS infrared channel radiances are primarily used to derive cloud top temperature, cloud top height, effective emissivity, an infrared cloud phase product (ice vs. water, opaque vs. non-opaque) and cloud fraction under both daytime and nighttime conditions. The VIIRS solar reflectance channels are primarily used to derive cloud optical thickness, particle effective radius, water path, and to inform the phase used in the optical retrievals. The VIIRS Cloud Properties product is a Level-2 product generated at 750 m (at nadir) spatial resolution. The current version-1.1 of the Level-2 CLDPROP product collection is corrected to address an issue with the cloud optical properties’ thermodynamic phase that caused erroneous liquid water cloud phase results.

The MODIS level-2 cloud mask product is a global product generated for both daytime and nighttime conditions at 1-km spatial resolution (at nadir) and for daytime at 250-m resolution. The algorithm employs a series of visible and infrared threshold and consistency tests to specify confidence levels that an unobstructed view of the Earth's surface is observed. The Terra MODIS Photovoltaic (PVLWIR) bands 27-30 are known to experience an electronic crosstalk contamination. The influence of the crosstalk has gradually increased over the mission lifetime, causing for example, earth surface features to become prominent in atmospheric band 27, increased detector striping, and long term drift in the radiometric bias of these bands. The drift has compromised the climate quality of C6 Terra MODIS L2 products that depend significantly on these bands, including cloud mask (MOD35), cloud fraction and cloud top properties (MOD06), and total precipitable water (MOD07). A linear crosstalk correction algorithm has been developed and tested by MCST.The electronic crosstalk correction was made to the calibration algorithm for bands 27-30 and implemented into C6.1 operational L1B processing. This implementation greatly improves the performance of the cloud mask. The shortname for this Level-2 MODIS cloud mask product is MYD35_L2 and the principal investigator for this product is MODIS scientist Dr. Paul Menzel ( paulm@ssec.wisc.edu). MYD35_L2 product files are stored in Hierarchical Data Format (HDF-EOS). Each of the 9 gridded parameters is stored as a Scientific Data Set (SDS) within the HDF-EOS file. The Cloud Mask and Quality Assurance SDS's are stored at 1 kilometer pixel resolution. All other SDS's (those relating to time, geolocation, and viewing geometry) are stored at 5 kilometer pixel resolution. MYD35_L2 Data Group and Parameters: Spatial and Temporal Resolution: Latitude and Longitude Scan start time Solar and Sensor Viewing Geometry: Solar zenith and Solar azimuth angle Sensor zenith and Sensor azimuth angle Science Parameters: Cloud Mask (1km) Cloud Mask (250 m) Quality Assurance Parameters: Quality Assurance Flags (1km) Link to the MODIS homepage for more data set information: https://modis-atmos.gsfc.nasa.gov/products/cloud-mask Link to the MODIS homepage for C6.1 changes: https://modis-atmos.gsfc.nasa.gov/documentation/collection-61

The MODIS level-2 cloud mask product is a global product generated for both daytime and nighttime conditions at 1-km spatial resolution (at nadir) and for daytime at 250-m resolution. The algorithm employs a series of visible and infrared threshold and consistency tests to specify confidence levels that an unobstructed view of the Earth's surface is observed. The Terra MODIS Photovoltaic (PVLWIR) bands 27-30 are known to experience an electronic crosstalk contamination. The influence of the crosstalk has gradually increased over the mission lifetime, causing for example, earth surface features to become prominent in atmospheric band 27, increased detector striping, and long term drift in the radiometric bias of these bands. The drift has compromised the climate quality of C6 Terra MODIS L2 products that depend significantly on these bands, including cloud mask (MOD35), cloud fraction and cloud top properties (MOD06), and total precipitable water (MOD07). A linear crosstalk correction algorithm has been developed and tested by MCST.The electronic crosstalk correction was made to the calibration algorithm for bands 27-30 and implemented into C6.1 operational L1B processing. This implementation greatly improves the performance of the cloud mask. For more information on C6.1 changes visit: https://modis-atmos.gsfc.nasa.gov/documentation/collection-61 The shortname for this Level-2 MODIS cloud mask product is MOD35_L2 and the principal investigator for this product is MODIS scientist Dr. Paul Menzel ( paulm@ssec.wisc.edu). MOD35_L2 product files are stored in Hierarchical Data Format (HDF-EOS). Each of the 9 gridded parameters is stored as a Scientific Data Set (SDS) within the HDF-EOS file. The Cloud Mask and Quality Assurance SDS's are stored at 1 kilometer pixel resolution. All other SDS's (those relating to time, geolocation, and viewing geometry) are stored at 5 kilometer pixel resolution. Link to the MODIS homepage for more data set information: https://modis-atmos.gsfc.nasa.gov/products/cloud-mask

The VIIRS/NOAA20 Cloud Properties 6-min L2 Swath 750m product is a continuity product similar to its counterpart product from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) VIIRS. Judiciously leveraging a common set of spectral channels, they help sustain the long-term records of both MODIS and VIIRS heritages. A commonly applicable algorithm to both MODIS and VIIRS inputs is the hallmark of this continuity approach. CLDPROP_L2_VIIRS_NOAA20 is the shortname for the NOAA20 VIIRS incarnation of the orbital swath-based Cloud Properties continuity product. For more information, visit product page at: https://ladsweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/missions-and-measurements/products/CLDPROP_L2_VIIRS_NOAA20

The VIIRS/SNPP Dark Target Aerosol L2 6-Min Swath 6 km product provides satellite-derived measurements of Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) and their properties over land and ocean, and spectral AOT and their size parameters over oceans every 6 minutes, globally. The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) incarnation of the dark target (DT) aerosol product is based on the same DT algorithm that was developed and used to derive products from the Terra and Aqua mission’s MODIS instruments. Two separate and distinct DT algorithms exist. One helps retrieve aerosol information over ocean (dark in visible and longer wavelengths), while the second aids retrievals over vegetated/dark-soiled land (dark in the visible). This orbit-level product (Short-name: AERDT_L2_VIIRS_SNPP) has an at-nadir resolution of 6 km x 6 km, and progressively increases away from nadir given the sensor's scanning geometry and Earth's curvature. Viewed differently, this product's resolution accommodates 8 x 8 native VIIRS moderate-resolution (M-band) pixels that nominally have ~750 m horizontal pixel size. Hence, the Level-2 Dark Target Aerosol Optical Thickness data product incorporates 64 (750 m) pixels over a 6-minute acquisition. Version 2.0 constitutes the latest collection of the L2 Dark Target Aerosol product and contains improvements over its previous collection (v1.1). For more information consult LAADS product description page at: https://ladsweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/missions-and-measurements/products/AERDT_L2_VIIRS_SNPP Or, Dark Target aerosol team Page at: https://darktarget.gsfc.nasa.gov/

The Visible and Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is a multi-disciplinary instrument that is being flown on the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) series of spacecraft, including the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) that launched in October 2011. JPSS is a multi-platform, multi-agency program that consolidates the polar orbiting spacecraft of NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). S-NPP is the initial spacecraft in this series, and VIIRS is the successor to MODIS for Earth science data product generation. VIIRS has 22 spectral bands ranging from 412 nm to 12 nm. There are 16 moderate-resolution bands (750m at nadir), 5 image-resolution bands (375m), and one day-night band (DNB).

The VIIRS/NOAA20 Cloud Mask and Spectral Test Results 6-Min L2 Swath 750m product Mask is one of three continuity products designed to sustain the long-term records of both Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and VIIRS heritages. CLDMSK_L2_VIIRS_NOAA20 is the shortname for the NOAA-20 VIIRS incarnation of the Cloud Mask continuity product derived from the MODIS-VIIRS cloud mask (MVCM) algorithm, which itself is based on the MODIS (MOD35) algorithm. MVCM describes a continuity algorithm that is central to both MODIS data (from Terra and Aqua missions) and VIIRS data (from Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) and Joint Polar Satellite System missions). Please bear in mind that the term MVCM does not appear as an attribute within the product’s metadata. Implemented to consistently handle MODIS and VIIRS inputs, the NOAA-20 VIIRS collection-1 products use calibration-adjusted NASA VIIRS L1B as inputs. The nominal spatial resolution of the NOAA-20 VIIRS L2 Cloud mask is 750 meters. For more information consult Product Page at: https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/MVCM/

The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) NASA standard Level-2 (L2) dark target (DT) aerosol product provides satellite-derived measurements of Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) and their properties over land and ocean, and spectral AOT and their size parameters over oceans every 6 minutes, globally. The VIIRS incarnation of the DT aerosol product is based on the same DT algorithm that was developed and used to derive products from the Terra and Aqua mission’s MODIS instruments. Two separate and distinct DT algorithms exist. One helps retrieve aerosol information over ocean (dark in visible and longer wavelengths), while the second aids retrievals over vegetated/dark-soiled land (dark in the visible).This orbit-level product (Short-name: AERDT_L2_VIIRS_SNPP_NRT) has an at-nadir resolution of 6 km x 6 km, and progressively increases away from nadir given the sensor's scanning geometry and Earth's curvature. Viewed differently, this product's resolution accommodates 8 x 8 native VIIRS moderate-resolution (M-band) pixels that nominally have ~750 m horizontal pixel size. Hence, the Level-2 Dark Target Aerosol Optical Thickness data product incorporates 64 (750 m) pixels over a 6-minute acquisition. Version 2.0 constitutes the latest collection of the L2 Dark Target Aerosol product and contains improvements over its previous collection (v1.1).