A more detailed Global Vegetation Index

An improved dataset for the world’s landscape was developed from the 25-year long archived set of reflectance data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) instrument on NOAA's polar- orbiting satellites. This land surface and vegetation dataset was developed from daily reflectance data in the visible, near-infrared, and infrared regions of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. The parameters were accumulated over a 7-day period, corrected to reduce noise, and then used to calculate vegetation indices, including the Global Vegetation Index (GVI). See an example of the Vegetation Index at right.

Among other vegetation datasets, the GVI is unique for having the best space and time resolution and the largest number of parameters and products. For most of the parameters, indices, or products, there are no equivalents in the conventional climate record or in other satellite-based data. So the satellite data is a direct observation of vegetation conditions, unlike anything else in the climate record. NOAA - NESDIS scientists and users have double-checked the accuracy of these Vegetation Indices.

The GVI is useful for detecting long-term trends in vegetation cover, and for monitoring droughts, temperature and moisture effects on the land, health of vegetation, and for monitoring degradation of land, including deforestation and desertification. The index has also been used to indirectly monitor mosquito-borne epidemics and invasive species; and to assess the ways that the land surface responds to the rainfall and temperature patterns caused by El Niño.

See and use GVI data from the Operational Satellite Data and Products division.