NOAA JPSS Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Cloud Height (Top and Base) Environmental Data Record (EDR) from NDE

This dataset contains a high quality operational Environmental Data Record (EDR) of cloud height (top and base) from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument onboard the Suomi-NPP satellite and is produced by the NOAA Satellite and Information Service (NESDIS). The cloud height product contains an image with pixel values identifying the geopotential height at the top of a cloud layer. Additionally, this product includes data quality information that provides an assessment of the cloud height values for on-earth pixels. The algorithm uses VIIRS infrared bands M14 (8.5µm), M15 (11.2µm), and M16 (12.3µm). The spatial resolution of the EDR is 750 meters and data are collected during day and night passes which provides global coverage at a temporal resolution of approximately every 12 hours. VIIRS cloud height data distributed by the NESDIS Data Exploitation (NDE) system and obtained from the Comprehensive Large Array-Data Stewardship System (CLASS) are distributed in single 86-second granules in NetCDF-4 format with metadata attributes included.