Global MODIS Nadir-Adjusted Reflectance for Band 5 at 1km Resolution

Global daily Nadir BRDF-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) data for MODIS band 5, produced by NASA's LPCLOUD. This Version 6.1 Climate Modeling Grid product is generated daily at a 30 arc-second (1km) resolution, using 16 days of Terra and Aqua MODIS observations weighted to the ninth day. The dataset is designed for climate simulation models and features calibration improvements including polarization and response-versus-scan angle corrections.

Use Cases

• Calibrating and validating climate simulation models using standardized surface reflectance inputs.
• Monitoring long-term land surface changes by analyzing time-series of nadir-adjusted reflectance in the 1.230-1.250 µm spectral range.
• Assessing surface anisotropy and albedo by utilizing the underlying BRDF/Albedo model inversion.
• Isolating high-quality retrievals for specific studies by applying the band-specific quality flags described in the user guide.

Strengths

• Provides daily global coverage at a consistent 1km spatial resolution for climate-scale analysis.
• Incorporates calibration improvements for Version 6.1, including polarization correction and updated look-up tables for 2012-2017.
• Algorithm corrects for view-angle effects to model reflectance as if measured at nadir, improving comparability across time and space.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov signals its importance and reliability for the scientific community.

Limitations

• Specific column names and dataset size (row count, file size) are not provided by any source, limiting precise technical assessment.
• Each file contains only one data layer due to large file sizes, which may increase data management complexity for multi-band studies.
• Users must actively consult the quality flags and known issues website to filter data, adding a step to the workflow.

Provenance

Source

NASA LPCLOUD, utilizing Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data.

Collection Method

Produced daily using a 16-day temporal window of MODIS data, with values weighted to the ninth day and processed through the NBAR algorithm.

Time Range

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Freshness

2026-03-12 23:47:23.919582

Geography

Entire globe.