MODIS/Aqua Aerosol Data Subset for 180 Ground Stations

MYDARNSS provides satellite-derived atmospheric data specifically collocated with ground-based Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) stations. The dataset contains subsets for approximately 180 global sites, with one file per site holding 55 distinct Science Data Sets. It is produced by the Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive & Distribution System (LAADS) and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Validating MODIS aerosol optical depth retrievals against AERONET ground-truth measurements.
• Analyzing spectral radiances from 36 discrete MODIS bands for atmospheric correction studies.
• Investigating cloud mask and water vapor data in conjunction with aerosol properties at specific sites.
• Studying spatial and temporal patterns of atmospheric constituents using the 0.5 x 0.5 degree satellite cutouts.

Strengths

• Data is directly subset and collocated with approximately 180 AERONET ground validation sites globally.
• Each site file contains 55 distinct Science Data Sets, including radiances for 36 MODIS spectral bands.
• The dataset's cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov signals its established use in the scientific community.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and a complete column list are not provided by any source.
• License information is inconsistent, with one source specifying 'other-license-specified' and another listing it as null.

Provenance

Source

Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive & Distribution System (LAADS)

Collection Method

Subsets of MODIS Atmosphere and Ancillary Products are generated by extracting 0.5 x 0.5 degree cutouts centered on AERONET sites from 5-minute Level 2 MODIS granules.

Freshness

2026-03-12 23:52:57.384365

Geography

Global coverage at approximately 180 AERONET station locations.