Daily Nadir BRDF-Adjusted Reflectance from MODIS at 500m Resolution

MCD43A4 Version 6 provides daily Nadir BRDF-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) data for MODIS spectral bands 1-7. The dataset is produced by NASA's LPCLOUD using 16-day composites from Terra and Aqua satellite observations, with data decommissioned in July 2023. Reflectance values are adjusted to remove view-angle effects and are temporally weighted to a central ninth day.

Use Cases

• Modeling land surface albedo using the NBAR values for bands 1-7.
• Monitoring vegetation phenology through time-series analysis of daily NBAR data.
• Assessing surface reflectance quality by integrating the band-specific quality flags from this product with the MCD43A2 quality file.
• Studying surface changes over arid regions, though with caution due to known aerosol representation issues in Version 6.

Strengths

• Daily global observations at 500-meter spatial resolution.
• Provides data for seven MODIS spectral bands (1-7) with view-angle correction.
• Uses a 16-day data composite for stable NBAR product generation.

Limitations

• Version 6 has known issues, including incorrect aerosol representation over bright surfaces, prompting its decommissioning.
• Essential quality information is stored in a separate companion data file (MCD43A2).
• The dataset is temporally stale, as Version 6 was replaced by Version 6.1 in 2023.

Provenance

Source

NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on the Terra and Aqua satellites.

Collection Method

Produced daily by LPCLOUD using a 16-day rolling composite of MODIS observations, with BRDF adjustment.

Time Range

Daily coverage during the operational period of the MCD43A4 Version 6 product.

Freshness

Daily update frequency during its operational period; product version was decommissioned on 2023-07-31.

Geography

Global