MCD43A1: Daily Global BRDF/Albedo Model Parameters at 500m Resolution

Daily global data produced using 16 days of Terra and Aqua MODIS satellite observations, weighted to the ninth day of the retrieval period. The MCD43A1 Version 6 product from NASA provides three model weighting parameters for seven spectral bands and three broadbands at 500-meter resolution. This version was decommissioned on July 31, 2023, with users encouraged to use the updated Version 6.1.

Use Cases

• Deriving albedo values for energy balance studies based on the provided model parameters.
• Calculating Nadir BRDF-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) for surface analysis based on the volumetric and geometric parameters.
• Assessing land surface changes over time using the daily, globally gridded model parameters.
• Filtering data quality for scientific applications using the band-specific quality flags mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• Data is produced daily at a 500-meter spatial resolution for global coverage.
• Provides parameters for 10 bands, including seven spectral and three broadbands.
• Observations are temporally weighted to the ninth day of a 16-day retrieval period for a consistent target date.

Limitations

• This Version 6 product is officially decommissioned, with known issues over arid bright surfaces; the description urges use of Version 6.1.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Produced daily from 16 days of combined Terra and Aqua MODIS satellite data.

Time Range

Daily temporal coverage, with data weighted to a specific day within a 16-day window.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:26:36.880918; freshness should be verified as the underlying data product is deprecated.

Geography

Global