STAR Joint Polar Satellite System Algorithms & Data Products website National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration website NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research website

STAR JPSS Program

STAR leads the efforts to develop, test, validate and refine the science algorithms to process S-NPP and JPSS instruments data from VIIRS, CrIS, ATMS, and OMPS into user required data products such as Temperature Data Records (TDRs), Sensor Data Records (SDRs), and Environmental Data Records (EDRs). STAR JPSS (JSTAR) Program was established to support algorithm development/calibration/validation to ensure that the data products meet JPSS requirements.


The primary goals of the JSTAR Cal/Val Program are:

  • Providing robust, affordable, and flexible state-of-the-art scientific solutions to meet JPSS requirements.
  • Assuring operational viability of the data products meeting JPSS mission objectives.
To achieve these goals, the JSTAR Cal/Val science teams have been formed to conduct detailed evaluation and work on maintaining and updating the algorithms for the SDR and EDR products.

VIIRS SDR Active Fires Surface Albedo Aerosol Optical Depth Cloud Base Height Cloud Cover Layers Cloud Optical Properties Cloud Top Properties Cloud Mask Ice Surface Temperature VIIRS Imagery Land Surface Temperature Ocean Color Quarterly Surface Type Sea Ice Characterization Snow Cover (Binary/Fraction) Surface Type Suspended Matter Vegetation Indices Green Vegetation Fraction VIIRS Polar Winds Sea Surface Temperature Vegetation Health CrIS SDR NUCAPS Trace Gas Products Outgoing Longwave Radiation NUCAPS Sounding Products ATMS SDR MiRS EDRs OMPS SDR OMPS Ozone Total Column OMPS Ozone Nadir Profile GCOM Precipitation Sea Ice Sea Surface Temperature Sea Surface Wind Speed Snow Soil Moisture

Requirements Documents


JPSS Instruments and Data Products

  • ATMS - Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder
  • CrIS - Cross-track Infrared Sounder
  • VIIRS - Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite
  • OMPS - Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite
  • CERES - Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System

Algorithm Cal/Val: Pre-Launch, Post-Launch, Long Term Monitoring (LTM)

  • Pre-Launch: Characterizing uncertainties of the sensors and data products (derived from instrument proxy and/or simulated data) resulting from parameterizations and algorithmic implementation artifacts.
  • Post-Launch: Characterizing the performance of the products (derived from real on-orbit instrument data) as well as indentifying and making necessary product algorithm refinements.
  • LTM: Monitoring the Sensor Stability & Data Product Quality.