Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Branch

Introduction:

This lesson introduces the innovative Day/Night Band (DNB). Producing both daytime and nighttime visible images, the unique aspect of the DNB is its nocturnal low-light imaging capability. It views reflected moonlight from clouds and Earth’s surface, surface light emissions from various natural sources (such as fires) and anthropogenic sources (such as city lights and gas flares), and even from certain atmospheric light emissions such as the aurora, airglow, and lightning flashes.The lesson describes the capabilities and benefits of the DNB, in particular using the Near-Constant Contrast (NCC) product, available in the NWS’ AWIPS-2 (Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System). It also explores key features that can be seen in DNB imagery throughout the lunar cycle, and some practical uses of this imagery.This lesson is part of the Satellite Foundational Course for JPSS (SatFC-J).

Objectives:

• State the capabilities, benefits, and limitations of nighttime visible sensing
• Describe the utility of the Day/Night Band (DNB), highlighting atmospheric features during night time as compared to conventional infrared bands
• Describe the derived Near-Constant Contrast (NCC) product
• Describe how the DNB imagery is dependent on the lunar cycle (emitted light versus reflected light)
• Identify some key features that can be seen during no-moon, half-moon, and full-moon illumination conditions

Training Session Options:

• MetEd Online Course