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Description
The VNP22Q2 Version 1 data product was decommissioned on July 31, 2025. Users are encouraged to use the VNP22Q2 Version 2 data product.
The NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Land Cover Dynamics data product provides global land surface phenology (GLSP) metrics at yearly intervals. The VNP22Q2 data product is derived from time series of the two-band Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI2) calculated from VIIRS Nadir Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR). Vegetation phenology metrics at 500 meter spatial resolution are identified for up to two detected growing cycles per year.
Provided in each VNP22Q2 product are 19 Science Dataset (SDS) layers. The product contains six phenological transition dates: onset of greenness increase, onset of greenness maximum, onset of greenness decrease, onset of greenness minimum, dates of mid-greenup, and senescence phases. The product also includes the growing season length. The greenness related metrics consist of EVI2 onset of greenness increase, EVI2 onset of greenness maximum, EVI2 growing season, rate of greenness increase and rate of greenness decrease. The confidence of phenology detection is provided as greenness agreement growing season, proportion of good quality (PGQ) growing season, PGQ onset greenness increase, PGQ onset greenness maximum, PGQ onset greenness decrease, and PGQ onset greenness minimum. The final layer is quality control specifying the overall quality of the product. A low-resolution browse image showing greenup is also available when viewing each VNP22Q2 granule.
Important information is provided in Sections 5 of the User Guide when comparing VNP22Q2 with the MCD12Q2 data product.
Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC)
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Land Science Investigator-led Processing System, Terrestrial Information Systems Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division, Sciences and Exploration Directorate, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA (NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/TISL/LandSIPS)
Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.
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Zhang, X., Friedl, M., & Henebry, G. (2020). VIIRS/NPP Land Cover Dynamics Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V001 [Data set]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/VIIRS/VNP22Q2.001 Date Accessed: 2026-05-01
Zhang, Xiaoyang, Mark Friedl, and Geoffrey Henebry. “VIIRS/NPP Land Cover Dynamics Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V001.” NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center, 2020. doi:10.5067/VIIRS/VNP22Q2.001. Date Accessed: 2026-05-01
Zhang, Xiaoyang, et al. VIIRS/NPP Land Cover Dynamics Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V001. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center, 2020, doi:10.5067/VIIRS/VNP22Q2.001. Date Accessed: 2026-05-01
File Naming Convention
VNP22Q2.A2022001.h09v08.001.2023234075817.h5
The file name begins with the Product Short Name (VNP22Q2) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2022001), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h09v08), the Version of the data collection (001), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2023234075817), and the Data Format (h5).
Zohner, Constantin M., Mirzagholi, Leila, Renner, Susanne S., Mo, Lidong, Rebindaine, Dominic, Bucher, Raymo, Palous, Daniel, Vitasse, Yann, Fu, Yongshuo H., Stocker, Benjamin D., Crowther, Thomas W.
Zhang, Xiaoyang, Wang, Jianmin, Henebry, Geoffrey M., Gao, Feng
Plant Phenology, Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Reflectance
Variables
The table below lists the variables contained within a single granule for this
dataset. Variables often contain observed or derived geophysical measurements
collected from a variety of sources, including remote sensing instruments on
satellite and airborne platforms, field campaigns, in situ measurements, and
model outputs. The terms variable, parameter, scientific data set, layer, and band
have been used across NASA’s Earth science disciplines; however, variable is the
designated nomenclature in NASA’s Common Metadata Repository (CMR).
Variable metadata attributes such as Name, Description, Units, Data Type, Fill
Value, Valid Range, and Scale Factor allow users to efficiently process and analyze
the data. The full range of attributes may not be applicable to all variables.
Additional information on variable attributes is typically available in the data,
user guide, and/or other product documentation.
For questions on a specific variable, please use the Earthdata Forum.