Soumi NPP VIIRS day/night band stray light characterization and correction using calibration view data

Abstract

The Soumi NPP VIIRS Day/Night Band (DNB) nighttime imagery quality is affected by stray light contamination. In this study, we examined the relationship between the Earth scene stray light and the signals in VIIRS's calibrators to better understand stray light characteristics and to improve upon the current correction method. Our analyses showed the calibrator signal to be highly predictive of Earth scene stray light and can provide additional stray light characteristics that are difficult to obtain from Earth scene data alone. In the current stray light correction regions (mid-to-high latitude), the stray light onset angles can be tracked by calibration view data to reduce correction biases. In the southern hemisphere, it is possible to identify the angular extent of the additional stray light feature in the calibration view data and develop a revised correction method to remove the additional stray light occurring during the southern hemisphere springtime. Outside of current stray light correction region, the analysis of calibration view data indicated occasional stray light contamination at low latitude and possible background biases caused by Moon illumination. As stray light affects a significant portion of nighttime scenes, further refinement in characterization and correction is important to ensure VIIRS DNB imagery quality for Soumi NPP and future missions.