SNPP VIIRS reflective solar bands on-orbit calibration seven-year update: extension and improvements

The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) has been on-orbit for more than seven years. VIIRS has 22 spectral bands, among which fourteen are reflective solar bands (RSB) covering a spectral range from 0.410 to 2.25 mu m. The SNPP VIIRS RSB have performed very well since launch. The radiometric calibration for the RSB has also reached a mature stage after almost seven years since its launch. Numerous improvements have been made in the standard RSB calibration methodology. Additionally, a hybrid calibration method, which takes the advantages of both solar diffuser calibration and lunar calibration and avoids the drawbacks of the two methods, successfully finalizes the highly accurate calibration for VIIRS RSB. The successfully calibrated RSB data record significantly improves ocean color products, whose stringent requirements are especially sensitive to the calibration accuracy, and helps the ocean color products to reach maturity and high quality. It has also greatly improved the accuracy and quality of other environmental data records (EDR) and high level science products. Nevertheless, there are still many challenging issues to be investigated for further improvements of the VIIRS sensor data records (SDR). In this presentation, the robust results of the RSB calibrations and instrument performance are presented and updated. Challenging issues and further improvements in the RSB calibration will also be addressed.