Earth Observation (EO) for Land Management

Title: Transitioning Beyond MODIS: Understanding Continuity Products to Support Essential Land Management Operations

Speaker: Angela M. Erb, Ph.D.

Abstract: The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data record has provided the user community with more than two decades of consistent, global observations of vegetation, land cover, fire activity, and surface conditions, enabling reliable long-term monitoring of ecosystem change. Its standardized and near real-time (NRT) data have informed decisions on wildfire management, drought response, agricultural planning, and conservation policy at regional to global scales. As the Terra and Aqua missions approach the end of their operational lifetimes, users must transition to the next generation of sensors. The VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) land science products were developed with the explicit goal of ensuring continuity of MODIS land data records. This talk will highlight key similarities and differences between MODIS and VIIRS land data products, discuss implications for applied users, and provide practical guidance for a smooth transition.

Bio: Angela M. Erb, Ph.D. is a Research Scientist at Leidos specializing in satellite remote sensing, geospatial data science, and Earth system monitoring. Her work focuses on algorithm development and large-scale processing systems for satellite data products used by U.S. government agencies, including NASA, NOAA, and the U.S. Forest Service. Her research centers on land surface albedo, land-cover change, and nighttime satellite observations to support Earth system modeling, and disaster monitoring. She supports the MODIS and VIIRS land science teams and serves as Co-Lead of the Surface Radiation subgroup within NASA’s Land Product Validation initiative at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, contributing to international efforts to standardize validation of satellite-derived environmental data products.