Average of visible band digital values - DMSP-OLS Nighttime Lights

The Stable lights image is the cleaned up version of the avg_vis image containing the lights from cities, towns, and other sites with persistent lighting, including gas flares. Ephemeral events, such as fires have been discarded. Then the background noise was identified and replaced with values of zero. Data values range from 1-63. This composite set is a component of the DMSP-OLS nighttime lights imagery for the years 1992-2013. The individual images are cloud-free composites made using all the available archived DMSP-OLS (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program - Operational Linescan System) smooth resolution data for calendar years. In cases where two satellites were collecting data - two composites were produced. The products are 30 arc second grids, spanning -180 to 180 degrees longitude and -65 to 75 degrees latitude. Each composite set is named with the satellite and the year (F121995 is from DMSP satellite number F12 for the year 1995). Five ArcGIS image services are available, each containing images from 1992-2013. **Data creation:** 2016-01-01 **Contact points:** Metadata Contact: [National Geophysical Data Center](mailto:ncei.info@noaa.gov) Resource Contact: NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center NOAA Resource Contact: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) **Data lineage:** The products are 30 arc second grids, spanning -180 to 180 degrees longitude and -65 to 75 degrees latitude. A number of constraints are used to select the highest quality data for entry into the composites: * Data are from the center half of the 3000 km wide OLS swaths. Lights in the center half have better geolocation, are smaller, and have more consistent radiometry. * Sunlit data are excluded based on the solar elevation angle. * Glare is excluded based on solar elevation angle. * Moonlit data are excluded based on a calculation of lunar illuminance. * Observations with clouds are excluded based on clouds identified with the OLS thermal band data and NCEP surface temperature grids. * Lighting features from the aurora have been excluded in the northern hemisphere on an orbit-by-orbit manner using visual inspection. More information on the attached file (gcv4_readme.txt) in the Distribution info section of this metadata. **Resource constraints:** Terms of Use: Whenever using or distributing DMSP data or derived images, please credit NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). In details: Image and data processing by NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center. DMSP data collected by US Air Force Weather Agency. **Online resources:** NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) DMSP Data Download

Percent frequency of light detections (pct_lights) in cloud-free observations. The number of light detections is not provided but can be calculated by multiplying pct_lights by the number of cloud-free observations (cf_cvg). Data values range from 0-100. This composite set is a component of the DMSP-OLS nighttime lights imagery for the years 1992-2013. The individual images are cloud-free composites made using all the available archived DMSP-OLS (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program - Operational Linescan System) smooth resolution data for calendar years. In cases where two satellites were collecting data - two composites were produced. The products are 30 arc second grids, spanning -180 to 180 degrees longitude and -65 to 75 degrees latitude. Each composite set is named with the satellite and the year (F121995 is from DMSP satellite number F12 for the year 1995). Five ArcGIS image services are available, each containing images from 1992-2013. **Data creation:** 2016-01-01 **Contact points:** Metadata Contact: [National Geophysical Data Center](mailto:ncei.info@noaa.gov) Resource Contact: NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center NOAA Resource Contact: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) **Data lineage:** The products are 30 arc second grids, spanning -180 to 180 degrees longitude and -65 to 75 degrees latitude. A number of constraints are used to select the highest quality data for entry into the composites: * Data are from the center half of the 3000 km wide OLS swaths. Lights in the center half have better geolocation, are smaller, and have more consistent radiometry. * Sunlit data are excluded based on the solar elevation angle. * Glare is excluded based on solar elevation angle. * Moonlit data are excluded based on a calculation of lunar illuminance. * Observations with clouds are excluded based on clouds identified with the OLS thermal band data and NCEP surface temperature grids. * Lighting features from the aurora have been excluded in the northern hemisphere on an orbit-by-orbit manner using visual inspection. More information on the attached file (gcv4_readme.txt) in the Distribution info section of this metadata. **Resource constraints:** Terms of Use: Whenever using or distributing DMSP data or derived images, please credit NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). In details: Image and data processing by NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center. DMSP data collected by US Air Force Weather Agency. **Online resources:** NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) DMSP Data Download

Cloud-free coverages (cf_cvg) tally the total number of observations that went into each 30 arc second grid cell. This image can be used to identify areas with low numbers of observations where the quality is reduced. In some years there are areas with zero cloud-free observations in certain locations. This composite set is a component of the DMSP-OLS nighttime lights imagery for the years 1992-2013. The individual images are cloud-free composites made using all the available archived DMSP-OLS (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program - Operational Linescan System) smooth resolution data for calendar years. In cases where two satellites were collecting data - two composites were produced. The products are 30 arc second grids, spanning -180 to 180 degrees longitude and -65 to 75 degrees latitude. Each composite set is named with the satellite and the year (F121995 is from DMSP satellite number F12 for the year 1995). **Data creation:** 2016-01-01 **Citation:** DMSP data collected by US Air Force Weather Agency. Image and data processing by NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center. **Contact points:** Metadata Contact: [National Geophysical Data Center](mailto:ncei.info@noaa.gov) Resource Contact: NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center NOAA Resource Contact: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) **Data lineage:** The products are 30 arc second grids, spanning -180 to 180 degrees longitude and -65 to 75 degrees latitude. A number of constraints are used to select the highest quality data for entry into the composites: * Data are from the center half of the 3000 km wide OLS swaths. Lights in the center half have better geolocation, are smaller, and have more consistent radiometry. * Sunlit data are excluded based on the solar elevation angle. * Glare is excluded based on solar elevation angle. * Moonlit data are excluded based on a calculation of lunar illuminance. * Observations with clouds are excluded based on clouds identified with the OLS thermal band data and NCEP surface temperature grids. * Lighting features from the aurora have been excluded in the northern hemisphere on an orbit-by-orbit manner using visual inspection. More information on the attached file (gcv4_readme.txt) in the Distribution info section of this metadata. **Resource constraints:** Terms of Use: Whenever using or distributing DMSP data or derived images, please credit NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). In details: Image and data processing by NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center. DMSP data collected by US Air Force Weather Agency. **Online resources:** NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) DMSP Data Download

Overview This layer is an image of nighttime lights of North America, including the Caribbean and Mexico, produced through a collaborative effort between the national atlas programs of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, in partnership with the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). The data were collected in 1996 and 1997 as part of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) of the United States. DMSP satellites collect visible and infrared cloud imagery, as well as monitoring atmospheric, oceanographic, hydrologic, cryospheric, and near-Earth space environments. The program maintains a constellation of two sun-synchronous, near-polar orbiting satellites, with an orbital period of 101 minutes and an inclination of 99 degrees. This image was created during the periods 16–21 March 1996, 5–14 January 1997, and 3–12 February 1997, when the gain on the OLS sensor was turned down to 24 from the normal 64 decibels so that urban centers did not saturate the signal.  This is a revised version made in May 2002 map layer, with a corrected shoreline for Greenland. Geographic Coverage The coverage spans the North American continent, including Canada, Mexico, and the United States, as well as the Caribbean. Data Sources and Licensing Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC). The data is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), allowing redistribution and adaptation, including for commercial purposes, with appropriate attribution. Update frequency: As needed Limitations of use: None. Acknowledgment of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation and/or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) would be appreciated in products derived from these data. Vintage: 1996–1997 Applications (Intended Use) Visualizing urbanization and human settlement patterns across North America. Research on population distribution and land use as inferred from artificial lighting. Basemap and reference layer for continental-scale environmental analysis. Integration with other thematic layers in the North American Environmental Atlas for comprehensive continental analysis. Files Download

Date of Images: Post-Event: May 3, 2022-May 12, 2022 (Daily) Pre-Event: April 2022 (Composite) Summary: These Black Marble Day-Night Band (BRDF-Corrected) images were created by the NASA Black Marble Science team. The images are corrected for atmospheric, terrain, lunar BRDF, and straylight effects, and directly measures light intensity on the ground in units of nanowatts/(steradian centimeter squared). The images are scaled from 0 - 30. The baseline image is from September 2025, generated from all daily atmospheric and lunar-corrected data from that month. There is a layer to display where clouds are present. This comparison between the images is meant as a visual assessment of outage impacts to aid various partners who are working to deliver emergency aids to local communities. Power outage maps like these help disaster response efforts in the short-term as well as long-term monitoring during the crucial stages of disaster recovery. Suggested Use: NASA's Black Marble Nighttime Light product suite is a state-of-the-art daily global collection of standard products for monitoring nighttime lights (NTL). Utilizing the Visible Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) aboard the Suomi-NPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 satellites. The image is in inferno color scale. Yellow represents presence of more light; dark blue less lights. Observations may be obscured by total or partial cloud cover. Other factors such as snow reflectance, moon phase, wildfires, and wildfire smoke may distort light radiance and require further analysis when assessing power outages. Satellite/Sensor: Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Platform (SNPP), NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 Resolution: 500 meters Credits: NASA Black Marble Science team Please cite the following two references when using this data: Román MO, Stokes EC, Shrestha R, Wang Z, Schultz L, Carlo EA, Sun Q, Bell J, Molthan A, Kalb V, Ji C. Satellite-based assessment of electricity restoration efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. PloS one. 2019 Jun 28;14(6):e0218883. Román MO, Wang Z, Sun Q, Kalb V, Miller SD, Molthan A, Schultz L, Bell J, Stokes EC, Pandey B, Seto KC. NASA's Black Marble nighttime lights product suite. Remote Sensing of Environment. 2018 Jun 1;210:113-43. Point of Contact: Ranjay Shrestha NASA Goddard Space Flight Center E-mail: ranjay.m.shrestha@nasa.gov Additional Links: NASA’s Black Marble Product Suite Román, M.O. et al. (2019) Satellite-based assessment of electricity restoration efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. PLoS One, 14 (6). Román, M.O. et al. (2018) NASA’s Black Marble nighttime lights product suite. Remote Sensing of Environment. 210, 113–143. Service URL: See REST Endpoint on the right. WMS Endpoint: https://gis.earthdata.nasa.gov/portal/services/DISASTERS_202510_HURRICANE_MELISSA/BlackMarble_BRDF/ImageServer/WMSServer

Date of Images: 10/9/2025 - 10/23/2025 Please Note: Images with majority cloud cover are not shown in the Map Viewer, but are available in the service. Summary: These Black Marble Day-Night Band (BRDF-Corrected) images were created by the NASA Black Marble Science team. The images corrected for atmospheric, terrain, lunar BRDF, and straylight effects, and directly measures light intensity on the ground in units of nanowatts/(steradian centimeter squared). The images are scaled from 0 - 30. The baseline image is from September 2025, generated from all daily atmospheric and lunar-corrected data from that month. There is a layer to display where clouds are present. This comparison between the images is meant as a visual assessment of outage impacts to aid various partners who are working to deliver emergency aids to local communities. Power outage maps like these help disaster response efforts in the short-term as well as long-term monitoring during the crucial stages of disaster recovery. Suggested Use: NASA's Black Marble Nighttime Light product suite is a state-of-the-art daily global collection of standard products for monitoring nighttime lights (NTL). Utilizing the Visible Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) aboard the Suomi-NPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 satellites. The image is in inferno color scale. Yellow represents presence of more light; dark blue less lights.  Observations may be obscured by total or partial cloud cover. Other factors such as snow reflectance, moon phase, wildfires, and wildfire smoke may distort light radiance and require further analysis when assessing power outages. Satellite/Sensor: Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Platform (SNPP), NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 Resolution: 500 meters Credits: NASA Black Marble Science team Please cite the following two references when using this data: Román MO, Stokes EC, Shrestha R, Wang Z, Schultz L, Carlo EA, Sun Q, Bell J, Molthan A, Kalb V, Ji C. Satellite-based assessment of electricity restoration efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. PloS one. 2019 Jun 28;14(6):e0218883. Román MO, Wang Z, Sun Q, Kalb V, Miller SD, Molthan A, Schultz L, Bell J, Stokes EC, Pandey B, Seto KC. NASA's Black Marble nighttime lights product suite. Remote Sensing of Environment. 2018 Jun 1;210:113-43. Point of Contact: Ranjay Shrestha NASA Goddard Space Flight Center E-mail: ranjay.m.shrestha@nasa.gov Additional Links: NASA’s Black Marble Product Suite Román, M.O. et al. (2019) Satellite-based assessment of electricity restoration efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. PLoS One, 14 (6). Román, M.O. et al. (2018) NASA’s Black Marble nighttime lights product suite. Remote Sensing of Environment. 210, 113–143. Service URL: https://gis.earthdata.nasa.gov/portal/home/item.html?id=de7a99b66cca4a20bfc91b27ea84cd4d WMS Endpoint: https://gis.earthdata.nasa.gov/portal/services/DISASTERS_202510_FLOOD_AK/BM_BRDF/ImageServer/WMSServer