MCD43D68: Daily Global Nadir-Adjusted Reflectance for MODIS Band 7 at 1km Resolution

Global daily land surface reflectance data for MODIS spectral band 7, processed to a nadir view at 30 arc-second (approximately 1km) resolution. The NASA-produced MCD43D68 Version 6.1 dataset is generated daily using 16 days of combined Terra and Aqua MODIS observations, temporally weighted to the central day. This Climate Modeling Grid product is designed for use in climate simulation models.

Use Cases

• Modeling land surface albedo for climate simulations based on the Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) product design.
• Analyzing surface reflectance changes over time based on daily, temporally-weighted global observations.
• Correcting for view-angle effects in satellite imagery based on the Nadir BRDF-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) algorithm.
• Assessing data quality for specific science applications based on the band-specific quality flags mentioned in the user guide.

Strengths

• Data is produced daily using 16 days of observations from two satellite platforms (Terra and Aqua MODIS), providing temporal robustness.
• Version 6.1 incorporates specific calibration improvements, including RVS, crosstalk, and polarization corrections as noted in the description.
• Provides global coverage at a consistent 30 arc-second (1km) resolution, suitable for climate-scale analysis.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Each product file contains just one data layer, which may complicate multi-band analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Produced daily using 16 days of Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data.

Time Range

Daily production; temporal coverage is not explicitly stated but is likely ongoing from the MODIS mission period.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:26:24.396187; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global