Global Monthly Dust Storm Frequency Climatology from MODIS Terra

MODFDS_CLM_GLB_L3 provides a climatological monthly frequency of dust storms over land. The GES DISC dataset averages data from 2000 to 2022 on a 0.1 by 0.1 degree global grid. It is derived from MODIS Terra Deep Blue aerosol products.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial patterns of dust storm frequency for thresholds like 0.025 or 0.5 dust optical depth.
• Model seasonal dust climatology by comparing monthly averages across the 23-year record.
• Assess data quality by comparing frequency results from quality flag 1 over source regions versus flag 3 over remote areas.
• Study long-term dust activity by using the eight separate optical depth threshold files to analyze storm intensity distributions.

Strengths

• Long temporal coverage spanning 23 years from 2000 to 2022.
• High spatial resolution of 0.1 degrees for detailed global land analysis.
• Provides eight distinct dust optical depth thresholds for intensity-based analysis.

Limitations

• Data is a climatological average, not a time series of individual events.
• Spatial coverage is limited to land areas between 80°S and 80°N.
• Quality flags have regional dependencies, requiring careful selection for analysis.

Provenance

Source

GES_DISC, derived from MODIS Terra Deep Blue Level 2 Aerosol Products (MOD04_L2 Collection 6.1).

Collection Method

Calculated from satellite-derived daily dust optical depth exceeding set thresholds, averaged into monthly climatology.

Time Range

Climatological average covering 2000 to 2022.

Freshness

Climatology based on data up to 2022; update frequency is not specified.

Geography

Global land coverage from 175°W to 175°E and 80°S to 80°N.