ASTER Global Emissivity Monthly Dataset 2000-2015

NASA's ASTER Global Emissivity Dataset (GED) Version 4 provides monthly global land surface emissivity data at a 0.05-degree resolution. The dataset spans from 2000 through 2015, generated by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory using the ASTER Temperature Emissivity Separation algorithm and MODIS auxiliary data. This specific version has been decommissioned, with users directed to the updated Version 4.1.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal trends in land surface emissivity for climate modeling, using monthly files from 2000 to 2015.
• Studying the relationship between emissivity and vegetation cover by integrating the NDVI data from MOD13C2 used in the processing chain.
• Mapping global surface thermal properties at a 0.05-degree scale for energy budget calculations.

Strengths

• Provides a 16-year time series (2000-2015) of monthly global data, enabling longitudinal analysis.
• Utilizes a sophisticated processing chain combining ASTER TES algorithm with MODIS atmospheric, snow cover, and vegetation data.
• Developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, indicating a high standard of scientific rigor.

Limitations

• The dataset (Version 4) is explicitly decommissioned as of December 14, 2016, directing users to a newer version.
• Sources note 'known issues for gaps' in the collection of monthly files.
• Platforms provide conflicting 'last updated' dates (2015-12-31 vs. 2026-03-13), creating uncertainty about the metadata's currentness.

Provenance

Source

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology.

Collection Method

Generated using the ASTER Temperature Emissivity Separation algorithm applied to Terra ASTER data, with atmospheric correction from MODIS products MOD07, MOD10CM, and MOD13C2.

Time Range

2000 through 2015

Freshness

2026-03-13 09:31:27.800058

Geography

Global