MODIS Aqua 500m Vegetation Indices with Reflectance Bands

MYD13A1 Version 6 provides 500-meter resolution global vegetation indices, including NDVI and EVI, derived from MODIS/Aqua satellite data. The dataset includes four reflectance bands and quality assurance layers, synthesized from the best pixel over 16-day periods. NASA produced this collection, which was decommissioned in July 2023 in favor of the corrected Version 6.1.

Use Cases

• Monitoring crop health and agricultural productivity using the NDVI and EVI layers.
• Analyzing long-term vegetation trends and phenology cycles from the 16-day composite time series.
• Studying land surface reflectance properties with the included red, near-infrared, blue, and mid-infrared bands.
• Assessing data quality and filtering pixels using the two provided quality assurance (QA) layers.
• Investigating biomass in dense forest regions where the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) offers improved sensitivity.

Strengths

• Provides two primary vegetation indices (NDVI and EVI) at a consistent 500-meter spatial resolution for global coverage.
• Includes four observation layers and reflectance bands (1, 2, 3, 7) alongside the vegetation indices for broader analysis.
• Algorithm selects the best pixel from a 16-day period based on low clouds, low view angle, and highest NDVI/EVI value.

Limitations

• Contains known issues including unexpected missing data in annual last cycles, incorrect 'NoData' flags, and spikes in NDVI values.
• The VI Usefulness bits are not correctly assigned, requiring users to disregard the usefulness score when VI Quality is flagged as good.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist between platforms (2026-03-12 on datagov vs 2023-02-25 on nasa_earthdata), and the product is officially decommissioned.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the MODIS/Aqua sensor, with pixel synthesis over 16-day periods.

Time Range

null

Freshness

2026-03-12 23:45:06.302412

Geography

Global