Shipping
In polar regions near real-time satellite data, in combination with other data, to provide up-to-date information on ice conditions to ships and research vessels.
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Corrected Reflectance Imagery
MODIS and VIIRS Corrected Reflectance imagery are available only as near real-time imagery. The imagery can be visualized in Worldview and Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS). More:
Information on MODIS Corrected Reflectance Imagery layers including
- Corrected Reflectance True Color (Bands 1-4-3)
- Corrected Reflectance (Bands 3-6-7)
- Corrected Reflectance (Bands 7-2-1)
Information on VIIRS Corrected Reflectance Imagery layers including
- Corrected Reflectance True Color (Bands I1-M4-M3)
- Corrected Reflectance (Bands M3-I3-M11)
- Corrected Reflectance (Bands M11-I2-I1)
Browse Corrected Reflectance imagery in Worldview
For more on the difference between Corrected Reflectance and Surface Reflectance Imagery
Brightness Temperature
Brightness temperature (TB) data are particularly useful for sea ice studies because of the relatively high contrast in emissivities between open water and sea ice.
Product and Download Link |
Description |
Browse imagery in Worldview |
AMSR2 (GCOM-W1) |
AMSR2 Brightness Temperature for Sea Ice (AMSR2) The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-E/Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-2 (AMSR-E/AMSR2) unified “Sea Ice Brightness Temperature (89H GHz)” and “Sea Ice Brightness Temperature (89V GHz)” layer displays daily averaged sea ice brightness temperatures (BTs) in kelvin at the polar regions for the 89 GHz horizontal (H) polarization channel and the 89 GHz vertical (V) polarization channel. This product uses the JAXA AMSR2 Level-1R input BTs which are calibrated (unified) across the JAXA AMSR-E and AMSR2 Level-1R products. The imagery resolution is 2 km and sensor resolution is 6.25 km. The temporal resolution is daily. References: AMSR-E/AMSR2 Unified L3 Daily 6.25 km Polar Gridded 89 GHz Brightness Temperatures, Version 1 |
Brightness Temperature for Sea Ice (89V Ghz) | (89H Ghz), Day | Night Arctic view Antarctic view |
MODIS (Terra)
MODIS (Aqua) |
MODIS Brightness Temperature (Band 31 - Day|Night) The MODIS Brightness Temperature, Band 31 layer is the brightness temperature, measured in Kelvin (K), calculated from the top-of-the-atmosphere radiances. It does not provide an accurate temperature of either clouds nor the land surface, but it does show relative temperature differences which can be used to distinguish features both in clouds and over clear land. It can be used to distinguish land, sea ice, and open water over the polar regions during winter (in cloudless areas). The MODIS Brightness Temperature layer is calculated from MODIS Calibrated Radiances and is available from both the Terra (MOD02) and Aqua (MYD02) satellites. The sensor and imagery resolution is 1 km, and the temporal resolution is daily. References: MODIS - MODIS Calibrated Radiances |
Brightness Temperature (Band 31) Day|Night |
VIIRS (Suomi NPP) VIIRS (NOAA-20) |
VIIRS Brightness Temperature (Band I5 - Day|Night) The VIIRS Brightness Temperature, Band I5, Day | Night layer is the brightness temperature, measured in Kelvin (K), calculated from the top-of-the-atmosphere radiances. It does not provide an accurate temperature of either clouds nor the land surface, but it does show relative temperature differences which can be used to distinguish features both in clouds and over clear land. It can be used to distinguish land, sea ice, and open water over the polar regions during winter (in cloudless areas). The VIIRS Brightness Temperature layer is calculated from VIIRS Calibrated Radiances (VNP02/VJ102) and is available from the Suomi NPP satellite and NOAA-20 satellite. The sensor resolution is 375m, the imagery resolution is 250m, and the temporal resolution is daily. References: VIIRS SDR Users Guide |
VIIRS (Suomi NPP) Brightness Temperature (Band I5) Day|Night VIIRS (NOAA-20) |
Land Surface Reflectance
Product: Instrument, Platform and Download Link |
Description |
Browse imagery in Worldview |
MODIS (Aqua) MYD09
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doi:10.5067/MODIS/MYD09.NRT.061 (Aqua) and doi:10.5067/MODIS/MOD09.NRT.061 (Terra) In comparison with the MODIS Corrected Reflectance product, the MODIS Land Atmospherically Corrected Surface Reflectance product (MOD09) is a more complete atmospheric correction algorithm that includes aerosol correction, and is designed to derive land surface properties. More: Information on MODIS Land Surface Reflectance Products including:
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VIIRS (Suomi NPP) VNP09_NRT |
VIIRS Land Surface Reflectance |
Coming soon |
Sea Ice
For near real-time applications, MODIS Sea Ice layer is useful for assessing the presence of sea ice in the ocean and other large water bodies. The presence of sea ice prohibits the passage of ships through the waters and an ice breaker vessel may be required to break up the ice before a ship may pass.
Product: Instrument, Platform and Download Link |
Description |
Browse imagery in Worldview |
MODIS (Terra) MOD29
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The MODIS Sea Ice extent layer shows the presence of sea ice. Ice forms in the sea when air and sea temperatures are consistently cold. Some areas of the sea in the world are consistently covered in sea ice and the sea ice even builds up to form multi year ice packs, some areas only form sea ice in the winter. The presence of sea ice changes the normally dark blue ocean into solid white ice. This has an effect on the weather and earth’s climate. Sunlight that would normally be absorbed by the dark blue ocean is now reflected back by the ice, increasing the surface albedo. Sea ice regulates the amount of heat that escapes the ocean surface to warm the atmosphere. |
Antarctica MODIS (Terra) Bands 3,6,7
By combining information from MODIS Bands 3-6-7, or VIIRS Bands M3-I3-M11, it is possible to differentiate sea ice from clouds. Red shades indicate ice, while tan and white shades indicate clouds. Such information can be used in conjunction with other data, to provide ships in the Antarctic with up-to-date information on sea ice conditions which are used to help ships safely plot their course through icy waters.
Page Last Updated: Mar 7, 2022 at 4:46 PM EST