On-orbit noise characterization of SNPP VIIRS reflective solar bands

Kevin A. Twedt; Ning Lei; Xiaoxiong Xiong

doi:10.1117/12.2274025

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5 September 2017 On-orbit noise characterization of SNPP VIIRS reflective solar bands

Kevin A. Twedt, Ning Lei, Xiaoxiong Xiong

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Proceedings Volume 10402, Earth Observing Systems XXII; 104021X (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2274025
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2017, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite has 14 reflective solar bands (RSBs) covering a spectral range from 410 nm to 2250 nm. We provide an overview of the noise characterization of the VIIRS RSB from pre-launch through more than five years of on-orbit operation. On orbit, the noise is measured as the variation in the signal level observed at the sunlit solar diffuser (SD) within each instrument scan. The SD signal level changes from scan to scan as the solar angle changes during the SD illumination time period of each orbit, allowing us to establish a functional dependence of the noise on signal level. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for all RSB has been slowly decreasing on-orbit, but remains above specification performance values (given at fixed typical radiance for each band) and is projected to remain above specification for at least ten more years based on the current trends in the performance of the electronic and optical sub-systems. We show a comparison to pre-launch measurements, and also discuss the importance of data quantization and sample aggregation in the interpretation of the SNR values.

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Kevin A. Twedt, Ning Lei, and Xiaoxiong Xiong "On-orbit noise characterization of SNPP VIIRS reflective solar bands", Proc. SPIE 10402, Earth Observing Systems XXII, 104021X (5 September 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2274025

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