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From MODIS to VIIRS: Continuing the Legacy

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) will help ensure continuity of Earth observations after the upcoming retirement of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments aboard NASA's Terra and Aqua platforms, launched in 1999 and 2002 respectively, have documented the planet's interrelated processes for over 20 years, providing essential daily, global information about the atmosphere, ocean, and surface features. The instruments have lasted more than three times longer than their predicted life span of six years. While the instruments are performing optimally, Terra and Aqua are running low on fuel and have begun to move out of their typical orbits on their way to retirement. Picking up the baton for daily data and imagery of Earth are the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments aboard the joint NASA/NOAA Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) platforms. 

The JPSS platforms all have an afternoon equator crossing time similar to the Aqua platform's overpass time of approximately 1:30 p.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC). However, there is no replacement for the morning overpass that the Terra platform achieves at approximately 10:30 a.m., UTC. This gap in morning satellite Earth observations will impact the breadth of observations once Terra is retired.

The first JPSS platform launched was the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) in October 2011. Suomi NPP was followed by NOAA-20 (previously known as JPSS-1) in November 2017 and NOAA-21 (previously known as JPSS-2) in November 2022. The three satellites fly approximately 50 minutes apart, with NOAA-21 as the primary, NOAA-22 the secondary, and Suomi NPP the tertiary platform.

The VIIRS instruments aboard these platforms will extend the 20+ year MODIS archive, providing valuable insights on emerging trends and changing patterns in the Earth system. Archived at multiple NASA data centers across the U.S., a plethora of data products are available to facilitate long-term climate data records.      

NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) and Worldview teams are poised to provide continuity of the imagery visualizations between MODIS and VIIRS. Many of these visualization products are available in near real-time, about three hours after an instrument observation, allowing for rapid investigation into developing natural hazards and events like hurricanes and wildfires. More importantly, a majority of imagery also is available back to the start of the MODIS data record to allow for comparison and analysis of changes and trends over more than two decades.

GIBS and Worldview currently host 117 MODIS layers from the Terra platform, 113 MODIS layers from the Aqua platform, 18 combined MODIS Terra and Aqua layers, 41 VIIRS layers from Suomi NPP, 35 VIIRS layers from NOAA-20, and 7 VIIRS layers from NOAA-21.

The table below shows the breadth of visualization products that are available in GIBS for interactive browsing using Worldview for each MODIS and VIIRS platform, with the goal of having the same products among all of the platforms. In the NOAA-21/VIIRS column, Coming Soon indicates products that will soon be available through GIBS and Worldview. 

In the future, the GIBS and Worldview teams hope to have full parity between the MODIS and VIIRS products. Select a link below to view the imagery in Worldview. To access the imagery via web services, consult the GIBS API documentation.

Terra/MODISAqua/MODISSuomi NPP/VIIRSNOAA-20/VIIRSNOAA-21/VIIRS

Corrected Reflectance 

Corrected Reflectance 

Corrected Reflectance 

Granule Corrected Reflectance (6-minute granule of imagery in near real-time. Available on a 15 day rolling window basis.)

Corrected Reflectance 

Granule Corrected Reflectance (6-minute granule of imagery in near real-time. Available on a 15 day rolling window basis.)

Corrected Reflectance

Brightness Temperature (Band 31)

Brightness Temperature (Band 31)

Brightness Temperature (Band I5)

Brightness Temperature (Band I5)

Brightness Temperature (Band I5)

Chlorophyll a Chlorophyll a Chlorophyll a Chlorophyll a Chlorophyll a 
Photosynthetically Available Radiation Photosynthetically Available Radiation Photosynthetically Available Radiation Photosynthetically Available Radiation Photosynthetically Available Radiation 

Fires and Thermal Anomalies

Fires and Thermal Anomalies

Fires and Thermal Anomalies

Fires and Thermal Anomalies

Fires and Thermal Anomalies

Land Surface Reflectance

Land Surface Reflectance

Land Surface Reflectance

Land Surface Reflectance

Coming Soon
Not AvailableNot AvailableBlack Marble Nighttime at Sensor Radiance (Day/Night Band) Black Marble Nighttime at Sensor Radiance (Day/Night Band) Coming Soon
Not AvailableNot AvailableBlack Marble Nighttime Blue/Yellow Composite (Day/Night Band) Black Marble Nighttime Blue/Yellow Composite (Day/Night Band) Coming Soon
Not AvailableNot AvailableDeep Blue Aerosol Type Deep Blue Aerosol Type Coming Soon
Deep Blue Aerosol Angstrom Exponent (Land) Deep Blue Aerosol Angstrom Exponent (Land) Deep Blue Aerosol Angstrom Exponent (Land and Ocean) Deep Blue Aerosol Angstrom Exponent (Land and Ocean) Coming Soon
Deep Blue Aerosol Optical Thickness  (Land) Deep Blue Aerosol Optical Thickness  (Land) Deep Blue Aerosol Optical Thickness (Land and Ocean)Deep Blue Aerosol Optical Thickness (Land and Ocean)Coming Soon
Dark Target Aerosol Angstrom Exponent  (Ocean) Dark Target Aerosol Angstrom Exponent  (Ocean) Dark Target Aerosol Angstrom Exponent  (Ocean) Dark Target Aerosol Angstrom Exponent  (Ocean) Coming Soon
Dark Target Aerosol Optical Thickness  (Land and Ocean) Dark Target Aerosol Optical Thickness  (Land and Ocean) Dark Target Aerosol Optical Thickness  (Land and Ocean)Dark Target Aerosol Optical Thickness  (Land and Ocean)Coming Soon
Merged DT/DB Aerosol Optical Depth (Land and Ocean) 
 
Merged DT/DB Aerosol Optical Depth (Land and Ocean) 
 
Not AvailableNot AvailableNot Available
Not AvailableNot Available

Clear Sky Confidence

Clear Sky Confidence

Coming Soon
Cloud Optical Thickness Cloud Optical Thickness Cloud Optical Thickness Cloud Optical Thickness Coming Soon
Cloud Effective Radius Cloud Effective Radius Cloud Effective Radius Cloud Effective Radius Coming Soon

Cloud Top Height

Cloud Top Height

Cloud Top Height

Cloud Top Height

Coming Soon
Snow Cover (NDSI) Snow Cover (NDSI) Snow Cover (NDSI) Snow Cover (NDSI) Coming Soon

Land Surface Temperature

Land Surface Temperature

Land Surface Temperature

Land Surface Temperature

Coming Soon
Sea Ice Extent Sea Ice Extent Sea Ice Extent Sea Ice Extent Coming Soon

Ice Surface Temperature

Ice Surface Temperature

Ice Surface Temperature

Ice Surface Temperature

Coming Soon

Sea Surface Temperature

Sea Surface Temperature

Sea Surface Temperature

Coming SoonComing Soon

Details

Last Updated

Published

Data Center/Project

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Adaptive Processing System SIPS
Level 1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System DAAC (LAADS DAAC)