{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,25]],"date-time":"2026-04-25T10:00:59Z","timestamp":1777111259226,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,23]],"date-time":"2016-01-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1453507200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The VIIRS instrument on board the S-NPP spacecraft has successfully operated for more than four years since its launch in October 2011. Many VIIRS environmental data records (EDR) have been continuously generated from its sensor data records (SDR) with improved quality, enabling a wide range of applications in support of users in both the operational and research communities. This paper provides a brief review of sensor on-orbit calibration methodologies for both the reflective solar bands (RSB) and the thermal emissive bands (TEB) and an overall assessment of their on-orbit radiometric performance using measurements from instrument on-board calibrators (OBC), as well as regularly scheduled lunar observations. It describes and illustrates changes made and to be made for calibration and data quality improvements. Throughout the mission, all of the OBC have continued to operate and function normally, allowing critical calibration parameters used in the data production systems to be derived and updated. The temperatures of the on-board blackbody (BB) and the cold focal plane assemblies are controlled with excellent stability. Despite large optical throughput degradation discovered shortly after launch in several near- and short-wave infrared spectral bands and strong wavelength-dependent solar diffuser degradation, the VIIRS overall performance has continued to meet its design requirements. Also discussed in this paper are challenging issues identified and efforts to be made to further enhance the sensor calibration and characterization, thereby maintaining or improving data quality.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/rs8020084","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,25]],"date-time":"2016-01-25T10:03:06Z","timestamp":1453716186000},"page":"84","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":45,"title":["Assessment of S-NPP VIIRS On-Orbit Radiometric Calibration and Performance"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"8","author":[{"given":"Xiaoxiong","family":"Xiong","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Sciences and Exploration Directorate, NASA\/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"James","family":"Butler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sciences and Exploration Directorate, NASA\/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kwofu","family":"Chiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Boryana","family":"Efremova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jon","family":"Fulbright","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ning","family":"Lei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jeff","family":"McIntire","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hassan","family":"Oudrari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9108-9009","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zhipeng","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Aisheng","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Schueler, C.F., Clement, J.E., Ardanuy, P.E., Welsch, C., de Luccia, F., and Swenson, H. (2002). NPOESS VIIRS sensor design overview. Proc. SPIE, 4483."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"649","DOI":"10.1175\/WAF935.1","article-title":"NASA MODIS previews NPOESS VIIRS capabilities","volume":"21","author":"Lee","year":"2006","journal-title":"Weather Forecast."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Ardanuy, P.E., Schueler, C.F., Miller, S.W., Kealy, P.M., Cota, S.A., Haas, M., and Welsch, C. (2002). NPOESS VIIRS design process. Proc. SPIE, 4483."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.1002\/2013JD020449","article-title":"Suomi-NPP VIIRS aerosol algorithms and data products","volume":"118","author":"Jackson","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Geophys. Res. Atmos."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9753","DOI":"10.1002\/jgrd.50771","article-title":"Land and cryosphere products from Suomi NPP VIIRS: Overview and status","volume":"118","author":"Justice","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Geophys. Res. Atmos."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1002\/jgrd.50793","article-title":"Impacts of VIIRS SDR performance on ocean color products","volume":"118","author":"Wang","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Geophys. Res. Atmos."},{"key":"ref_7","unstructured":"Cao, C., Xiong, X., Wolfe, R., De Luccia, F., Liu, Q., Blonski, S., Lin, G., Nishihama, M., Pogorzala, D., and Oudrari, H. (2013). Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Sensor Data Record (SDR) User\u2019s Guide, NOAA Technical Report NESDIS."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"(2013). Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) VIIRS Radiometric Calibration Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD)."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5065","DOI":"10.1002\/2013JD020423","article-title":"VIIRS on-orbit calibration methodology and performance","volume":"119","author":"Xiong","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Geophys. Res. Atmos."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eplee, R.E., Turpie, K.R., Meister, G., Patt, F.S., and Franz, B.A. (2015). Updates to the on-orbit calibration of SNPP VIIRS for ocean color applications. Proc. SPIE, 9607.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2185940"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1002\/jgrd.50873","article-title":"Suomi NPP prelaunch and on-orbit geometric calibration and characterization","volume":"118","author":"Wolfe","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Geophys. Res. Atmos."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Moy, G., Rausch, K., Haas, E., Wilkinson, T., Cardema, J., and de Luccia, F. (2015). Mission history of reflective solar band calibration performance of VIIRS. Proc. SPIE, 9607.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2188352"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12427","DOI":"10.3390\/rs61212427","article-title":"The S-NPP VIIRS day-night band on-orbit calibration\/characterization and current state of SDR products","volume":"6","author":"Lee","year":"2014","journal-title":"Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xiong, X., Sun, J., Fulbright, J., and Wang, Z. (2015). Lunar Calibration and Performance for S-NPP VIIRS Reflective Solar Bands. IEEE Tran. Geosci. Remote Sens.","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2015.2473665"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2720","DOI":"10.1175\/JTECH-D-13-00071.1","article-title":"Radiometric intercomparison between Suomi-NPP VIIRS and Aqua MODIS reflective solar bands using simultaneous nadir overpass in the low latitudes","volume":"30","author":"Uprety","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xiong, X., Fulbright, J., Angal, A., Wang, Z., Geng, X., and Butler, J. (2015). Assessment of MODIS and VIIRS solar diffuser on-orbit degradation. Proc. SPIE, 9607.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2185817"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85101A","DOI":"10.1117\/12.930145","article-title":"Discovery and characterization of on-orbit degradation of the visible infrared imaging radiometer suite (VIIRS) rotating telescope assembly (RTA)","volume":"8510","author":"Moyer","year":"2012","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1565","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2014.2345481","article-title":"Modeling the detector radiometric gains of the Suomi NPP VIIRS reflective solar bands","volume":"53","author":"Lei","year":"2015","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Efremova, B., McIntire, J., Moyer, D., Wu, A., and Xiong, X. (2014). S-NPP VIIRS thermal emissive bands on-orbit calibration and performance. J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 119.","DOI":"10.1002\/2014JD022078"},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"Standardized Calibration Parameters, Available online: https:\/\/cs.star.nesdis.noaa.gov\/NCC\/StandardizedCalibrationParameters."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88661J","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2024322","article-title":"Improving the characterization and performance of the Suomi-NPP VIIRS solar diffuser stability monitor","volume":"8866","author":"Fulbright","year":"2013","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96071W","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2186633","article-title":"Determination of the SNPP VIIRS solar diffuser BRDF degradation factor over wavelengths longer than 1 m","volume":"9607","author":"Lei","year":"2015","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2887","DOI":"10.1086\/430185","article-title":"The spectral irradiance of the Moon","volume":"129","author":"Kieffer","year":"2005","journal-title":"Astronom. J."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fulbright, J., Wang, Z., and Xiong, X. (2014). Suomi-NPP VIIRS lunar radiometric calibration observations. Proc. SPIE, 9218.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2061989"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1984","DOI":"10.1364\/AO.54.001984","article-title":"On-orbit calibration of the Suomi national polar-orbiting partnership visible infrared imaging radiometer suite for ocean color applications","volume":"54","author":"Eplee","year":"2015","journal-title":"Appl. Opt."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2383","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2007.896541","article-title":"MODIS reflective solar bands on-orbit lunar calibration","volume":"45","author":"Sun","year":"2007","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, Z., Fulbright, J., and Xiong, X. (2015). Update on the performance of Suomi-NPP VIIRS lunar calibration. Proc. SPIE, 9607.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2186794"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lei, N., Chen, X., and Xiong, X. (2015). Determination of the SNPP VIIRS SDSM screen relative transmittance from both yaw maneuver and regular on-orbit data. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2062303"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96071V","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2186636","article-title":"Estimation of the accuracy of the SNPP VIIRS SD BRDF degradation factor determined by the solar diffuser stability monitor","volume":"9607","author":"Lei","year":"2015","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lei, N., Wang, Z., Fulbright, J., and Xiong, X. (2013). Effect of the SDSM detector relative spectral response in determining the degradation coefficient of the SNPP VIIRS solar diffuser reflectance. Proc. SPIE, 8866.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2024415"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85101C","DOI":"10.1117\/12.933863","article-title":"VIIRS on-orbit optical anomaly: investigation, analysis, root cause determination and lessons learned","volume":"8510","author":"Iona","year":"2012","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"8510IB","article-title":"Root cause determination of on-orbit degradation of the VIIRS rotating telescope assembly","volume":"8510","author":"Barrie","year":"2012","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85101D","DOI":"10.1117\/12.930145","article-title":"VIIRS thermal emissive bands calibration algorithm and on-orbit performance","volume":"8510","author":"Moyer","year":"2012","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2354","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2014.2358935","article-title":"On-orbit Characterization of S-NPP VIIRS Transmission Functions","volume":"53","author":"McIntire","year":"2015","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"92641T","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2074598","article-title":"The solar vector error within the SNPP Common GEO code, the correction, and the effects on the VIIRS SDR RSB calibration","volume":"9264","author":"Fulbright","year":"2014","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2809","DOI":"10.3390\/rs6042809","article-title":"Initial stability assessment of S-NPP VIIRS reflective solar band calibration using invariant desert and deep convective cloud targets","volume":"6","author":"Bhatt","year":"2014","journal-title":"Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, W., and Cao, C. (2014). Assessing the VIIRS RSB calibration stability using deep convective clouds. Proc. SPIE, 9264.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2068434"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rse.2015.05.021","article-title":"Suomi NPP VIIRS reflective solar band on-orbit radiometric stability and accuracy assessment using desert and Antarctica Dome C sites","volume":"166","author":"Uprety","year":"2015","journal-title":"Remote Sens. Environ."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88660Q","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2023388","article-title":"Monitoring NPP VIIRS on-orbit radiometric performance from TOA reflectance time series","volume":"8866","author":"Wu","year":"2013","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wu, A., Xiong, X., Cao, C., and Chiang, K. (2015). Assessment of SNPP VIIRS VIS\/NIR radiometric calibration stability using Aqua MODIS and invariant surface targets. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens.","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2015.2508379"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88661N","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2023389","article-title":"S-NPP VIIRS thermal band spectral radiance performance through 18 months of operation on-orbit","volume":"8866","author":"Moeller","year":"2013","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Madhavan, S., Wu, A., Brinkmann, J., Wenny, B., and Xiong, X. (2015). Evaluation of VIIRS and MODIS thermal emissive band calibration consistency using Dome C. Proc. SPIE, 9639.","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2196389"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"92180G","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2061917","article-title":"Relative spectral response corrected calibration inter-comparison of S-NPP VIIRS and Aqua MODIS thermal emissive bands","volume":"9218","author":"Efremova","year":"2014","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96071Y","DOI":"10.1117\/12.2186629","article-title":"Impact of the angular dependence of the SNPP VIIRS solar diffuser BRDF degradation factor on the radiometric calibration of the reflective solar bands","volume":"9607","author":"Lei","year":"2015","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_45","first-page":"92181N","article-title":"Examination of the angular dependence of the SNPP VIIRS Solar diffuser bidirectional reflectance distribution function degradation factor","volume":"9218","author":"Lei","year":"2014","journal-title":"Proc. SPIE"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fulbright, J., Lei, N., Efremova, B., and Xiong, X. (2015). Suomi-NPP VIIRS Solar diffuser stability monitor performance. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens.","DOI":"10.1109\/TGRS.2015.2441558"}],"container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/8\/2\/84\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T19:18:12Z","timestamp":1760210292000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/8\/2\/84"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,23]]},"references-count":46,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2016,2]]}},"alternative-id":["rs8020084"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/rs8020084","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-4292"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-4292","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2016,1,23]]}}}