MODIS Aqua/Terra Daily Cloud Properties For Climate Model Comparison

MCD06COSP_D3_MODIS is a Level 3 daily, 1x1 degree gridded dataset of cloud properties from NASA's MODIS instruments on the Aqua and Terra satellites. It contains 23 aggregated science parameters designed to facilitate direct comparison between climate models and satellite observations using the CFMIP Observation Simulator Package (COSP). The dataset is provided in netCDF4 format and represents the improved Collection 6.2 version.

Use Cases

• Evaluating cloud parameterizations in climate models by comparing simulated cloud optical depth and thickness against aggregated MODIS observations.
• Analyzing global cloud frequency and vertical distribution trends over time using daily gridded data.
• Studying cloud microphysical properties, such as cloud droplet concentration and liquid water content, for climate feedback research.
• Validating satellite data retrieval algorithms by comparing Level 3 aggregated products with model simulator outputs.

Strengths

• Contains 23 distinct science data sets (SDS) for detailed cloud property analysis.
• Represents the improved Collection 6.2 version with fixes for bugs present in Collection 6.1.
• Aggregates data from both MODIS instruments (Aqua and Terra), providing broader temporal coverage.

Limitations

• Specific row count, dataset size, and exact column names are not provided by any source.
• License is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov but is 'None' on NASA Earthdata, creating a conflict.
• Temporal coverage (start and end dates) and spatial resolution beyond '1x1 degree grid' are unspecified.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Aggregation of combined MODIS Level-2 inputs from Terra (MOD35/MOD06) and Aqua (MYD35/MYD06) satellites.

Freshness

2026-03-13 00:28:01.765007

Geography

Global, 1x1 degree grid