Global Flood Mapping Services from JPSS

Abstract

In this presentation, we present details on the use of data from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor on the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) to create flood products that are used by decisionmakers in response to flooding events worldwide. In the United States, floods cause more loss of life and property than any type of severe weather events. Billions of dollars are lost annually with hundreds of people losing their lives. The areal extent of flood waters are often difficult to define due to these floods occurring in remote areas and the difficulty in getting timely information in the middle of a crisis. Satellite imagery has proven to be an effect supplement to in-situ methods of defining flood extent. The VIIRS instrument has special advantages in flood detection. VIIRS has a 3000 km swath width and a 375 m spatial resolution. Its polar orbit allows for multiple passes over high latitudes. The recent launch of the JPSS-1 spacecraft to join the Suomi NPP spacecraft provides even more frequent passes. The success of the VIIRS Flood Product has led the way to the development of a flood product from the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) from the GOES-16 satellite. A blended JPSS and GOES flood product takes advantage of the high temporal resolution of the GOES satellites and the high spatial resolution of the JPSS satellites.