Global Land-Ocean-Coastline-Ice Masks Derived from MODIS Terra Data

Global land classification masks derived from the Boston University MOD12Q1 V004 MODIS/Terra 1 km Land Cover Product. The dataset provides binary files in various EASE-Grid azimuthal and global projections at 12.5 km and 25 km spatial resolutions, with quick-look PNG images. It is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Use Cases

• Masking ocean pixels in terrestrial remote sensing analyses using the land classification data.
• Defining coastline boundaries for climate model simulations based on the binary land-ocean distinction.
• Supporting ice sheet and glacier studies by providing a consistent ice mask layer.
• Facilitating data reprojection and integration across different EASE-Grid and global coordinate systems.

Strengths

• Derived from a well-established source product (Boston University MOD12Q1 V004 MODIS/Terra Land Cover).
• Offers multiple spatial resolutions (12.5 km and 25 km) and map projections for flexibility.
• Includes quick-look browse images (PNG format) for visual inspection and validation.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable across all sources.
• There is a significant conflict in the 'last updated' date between platforms (2000 vs. 2026), casting doubt on data maintenance.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without clear terms.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, derived from Boston University MOD12Q1 V004 MODIS/Terra Land Cover Product.

Collection Method

Derived land classification masks from the 1 km MODIS/Terra land cover product, processed into flat binary files.

Time Range

Based on source product from 2002; temporal coverage of masks is not specified.

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:58:38.031254

Geography

Global coverage.