Release PROBA-V collection 2

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Reprocessed PROBA-V data now available

Today marks the release of the highly anticipated new collection of PROBA-V data, namely Collection 2 (C2) after almost a year of processing. These valuable datasets have been reprocessed to improve the data quality and use.

Following processing features have been changed to improve overall product quality:

  • Cloud detection algorithm 
    A Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP)-based neural network algorithm is applied, with no auxiliary data dependency, resulting in significant improvements compared to the Collection 1 cloud detection for all spatial resolutions.
     
  • Radiometric Instrument Calibration Parameter (ICP) files 
    The absolute calibration and equalization coefficients are updated, as well as some inter-band corrections to the BLUE channel are performed. 
     
  • Atmospheric correction
    The Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) dataset is used as input for the atmospheric correction. Further, using these AOT data the most appropriate aerosol model is selected.

Improve product use and interoperability

  • CEOS Analysis Ready Data for Land (CEOS-ARD) compliancy 
    PROBA-V Collection 2 data is declared CEOS-ARD-compliant for the Top-of-Canopy products, which means that it fulfilled a set of accuracy thresholds, that essential corrections are applied, and that the product metadata are structured in a certain format.
     
  • Data format 
    For Collection 2, the new Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF standard, backward compatible with standard GeoTIFF, will be used in addition to the regular HDF5 file format. Using this new and state-of-the-art data format standard eases the file handling and data visualization in cloud environments. 
     
  • New product search catalogues and viewer
    PROBA-V Collection 2 data will become easily searchable using the OpenSearch Catalogue for Remote Sensing (OSCARS). Additionally the the catalogue also supports a STAC API. Furthermore a new, dedicated, and improved user interface, combining the best from PROBA-V’s Mission Exploitation Platform (such as time series and viewing) to give you a seamless user experience and to efficiently analyze the Collection 2 data 

The above listed changes will impact all Level-2A and Level-3 data at all resolutions (100 m, 300 m, and 1 km) for the operational period of the mission, being 16 October 2013 to 30 June 2020. 

An extensive validation report against collection 1 and external datasets can be found HERE The updated user manual for Collection 2 can be found HERE

Access the improved data

Collection 2 is freely available as from March 28th, 2023 via the following interfaces:

Collection 1 remains available for download via the legacy www.vito-eodata.be web portal until May 2nd, 2023 after which this collection will be retired.