Stone, Thomas: US Geological Survey (Project Lead)
Project Funding:
2011 - 2014
NRA: 2010 NASA: NPP Science Team for Climate Data Records
Funded by NASA
Abstract:
Detecting global environmental change from space requires Earth observation datasets that are stable, consistent, and continuous. Achieving the level of data quality needed for accurate assessment of climate variability requires rigorous sensor calibration in orbit; two essential components are long-term stability and inter-calibration among instruments. This proposal addresses NASA and NPP objectives for climate-quality calibration by continuing the lunar calibration project at USGS (aka ROLO), which provides the Moon as a radiometric reference source for reflected-solar wavelength instruments. ROLO is a unique project, currently funded under ROSES-2006 Appendix A.15; its products are actively utilized by NASA EOS instruments (e.g. MODIS, SeaWiFS, ALI, Hyperion) and many others, and planned for use by NPP-VIIRS. The proposed activity will contribute to NPP on-orbit calibration efforts, specifically with regard to observations of the Moon acquired by VIIRS. These and other satellite missions, including current and upcoming operational programs (e.g. LDCM, GOES-R, Meteosat) are anticipating the continued availability of lunar calibration support, to be provided through this proposal. The
methodology of lunar calibration involves accessing numerical analytic models that quantitatively predict the brightness of the Moon as seen by spacecraft instruments in Earth orbit. This activity will refine and advance the development of lunar models and the associated calibration/validation techniques. The quality assurance aspects of lunar calibration include a demonstrated capability for stabilizing radiometric calibration in orbit with high precision, and providing a common reference (the Moon) for inter-calibration of sensors; both techniques are essential to the climate assessment/variability measurement tasks of NPP, and for the construction of Climate Data Records. Additionally, the Moon limb provides a high-contrast edge that can be used to evaluate instrument imaging quality. These capabilities extend to any solar-band radiometer instruments that view the Moon, thus including those that may be called upon to mitigate gaps in U.S. observational capabilities. The calibration/QA considerations of lunar calibration can potentially impact all data products derived from VIIRS observations, including cloud optical properties, aerosols, ocean color, vegetation, and Earth albedo/shortwave radiation balance.
More details may be found in the following project profile(s):
