MODIS/Aqua Surface Reflectance: 8-Day Global 250m Grid

Global land surface reflectance data is provided at a 250-meter resolution, derived from the Aqua MODIS satellite's bands 1 and 2. The dataset offers 8-day composite values, corrected for atmospheric gases, aerosols, and Rayleigh scattering, and includes quality assessment layers. It is a foundational product for generating downstream vegetation indices and albedo data, though users are directed to a newer version.

Use Cases

• Monitoring vegetation health and calculating indices based on atmospherically corrected red and near-infrared reflectance.
• Assessing land surface changes over time using the 8-day composite time series.
• Validating atmospheric correction models using the provided quality flags for aerosol and cloud conditions.
• Serving as an input for generating higher-level MODIS products like BRDF/Albedo (MCD43) and Vegetation Indices (MOD13/MYD13).

Strengths

• Provides global coverage at a consistent 250-meter spatial resolution.
• Includes atmospheric correction for gases, aerosols, and Rayleigh scattering, improving data utility.
• Offers an 8-day composite product, which reduces data gaps from cloud cover.

Limitations

• The dataset (Version 6) was officially decommissioned on July 31, 2023, with users directed to use Version 6.1.
• A known issue in Version 6 involves incorrect 'High Aerosol' flagging over bright surfaces and high view angles, impacting downstream products.
• Key metadata such as row count, specific column names, and precise temporal coverage are not provided in the sources.

Provenance

Source

NASA/MODIS Aqua satellite, processed by LPCLOUD.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing, with pixel selection from multiple acquisitions within an 8-day period based on cloud, solar zenith, and minimum blue value criteria.

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict between sources: one lists 2026-04-10, another lists 2023-02-26, but the product is decommissioned.

Geography

Global