Status of MODIS spatial and spectral characterization and performance

Dan Link; Zhipeng Wang; Xiaoxiong Xiong

doi:10.1117/12.2224307

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2 May 2016 Status of MODIS spatial and spectral characterization and performance

Dan Link, Zhipeng Wang, Xiaoxiong Xiong

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Proceedings Volume 9881, Earth Observing Missions and Sensors: Development, Implementation, and Characterization IV; 98811G (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2224307
Event: SPIE Asia-Pacific Remote Sensing, 2016, New Delhi, India

Abstract

Since launch, both Terra and Aqua MODIS instruments have continued to operate and make measurements of the earth’s top of atmospheric (TOA) radiances and reflectance. MODIS collects data in 36 spectral bands covering wavelengths from 0.41 to 14.4 μm. These spectral bands and detectors are located on four focal plane assemblies (FPAs). MODIS on-board calibrators (OBC) include a spectro-radiometric calibration assembly (SRCA), which was designed to characterize and monitor sensor spatial and spectral performance, such as on-orbit changes in the band-to-band registration (BBR), modulation transfer function (MTF), spectral band center wavelengths (CW) and bandwidths (BW). In this paper, we provide a status update of MODIS spatial and spectral characterization and performance, following a brief description of SRCA functions and on-orbit calibration activities. Sensor spatial and spectral performance parameters derived from SRCA measurements are introduced and discussed. Results show that on-orbit spatial performance has been very stable for both Terra and Aqua MODIS instruments. The large BBR shifts in Aqua MODIS, an issue identified pre-launch, have remained the same over its entire mission. On-orbit changes in CW and BW are less than 0.5 nm and 1 nm, respectively, for most VIS/NIR spectral bands of both instruments.

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Dan Link, Zhipeng Wang, and Xiaoxiong Xiong "Status of MODIS spatial and spectral characterization and performance", Proc. SPIE 9881, Earth Observing Missions and Sensors: Development, Implementation, and Characterization IV, 98811G (2 May 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2224307

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