EASE-Grid Land-Ocean-Ice Masks Derived from MODIS Terra Data

Land-Ocean-Coastline-Ice classification masks are derived from the Boston University MOD12Q1 V004 MODIS/Terra 1 km Land Cover Product. The dataset provides files in multiple EASE-Grid 2.0 projections at spatial resolutions from 3 km to 100 km. It is produced by NSIDCV0 and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Defining land surface boundaries for climate and weather modeling.
• Masking ocean and ice regions in satellite data analysis.
• Providing a consistent land classification base layer for global geospatial studies.
• Creating quick-look visualizations of global land cover distribution from the PNG browse images.

Strengths

• Derived from a well-established source: the MOD12Q1 V004 MODIS/Terra Land Cover Product.
• Available in multiple standardized EASE-Grid 2.0 projections for interoperability.
• Offers a range of spatial resolutions, from 3 km to 100 km, for different analysis scales.

Limitations

• Core data attributes like row count, column names, and file size are unspecified across all platforms.
• A conflict exists on the last updated date between December 2000 and March 2026 entries.
• Primary data is stored in flat binary (BIN) format, requiring specialized tools for interpretation.

Provenance

Source

Boston University MOD12Q1 V004 MODIS/Terra 1 km Land Cover Product (Friedl et al. 2002).

Collection Method

Derived land classification masks processed into various EASE-Grid 2.0 projections.

Time Range

null

Freshness

2026-03-13 03:06:16.338290

Geography

Global coverage.