MODIS MCD43C3: Daily Global Albedo Data for Climate Models

MCD43C3 Version 6 is a daily, global albedo dataset produced by NASA using 16 days of Terra and Aqua MODIS satellite data. It provides black-sky and white-sky albedo values for seven spectral bands and three broadbands on a 0.05-degree Climate Modeling Grid. The dataset was decommissioned on July 31, 2023, with users directed to the Version 6.1 product.

Use Cases

• Calibrating and validating climate simulation models based on the global Climate Modeling Grid structure.
• Analyzing surface energy balance and radiative forcing based on black-sky and white-sky albedo layers.
• Monitoring land surface changes over time based on daily albedo retrievals temporally weighted to a 16-day period.
• Assessing data quality for specific regions or applications based on the ancillary quality and uncertainty layers.

Strengths

• Provides global coverage on a consistent 0.05-degree (approx. 5.6 km) grid designed for climate models.
• Includes 20 albedo layers covering seven MODIS spectral bands and three broadbands (visible, NIR, shortwave).
• Data are produced daily using observations from two satellite platforms (Terra and Aqua).

Limitations

• The Version 6 product has known issues, particularly over arid bright surfaces, and has been officially decommissioned.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Produced daily using 16 days of Terra and Aqua MODIS data in a Climate Modeling Grid.

Time Range

Daily production; data are temporally weighted to the ninth day of a 16-day retrieval period.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:35:12.224459; freshness should be verified

Geography

Global