MCD43D14: Daily Global BRDF Volumetric Parameter for MODIS Band 5

MCD43D14 Version 6 is a daily, global dataset of the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) volumetric parameter for MODIS band 5, produced by NASA. It uses 16 days of Terra and Aqua MODIS observations at a 30 arc second (approximately 1,000 meter) resolution, weighted to the ninth day. This product was decommissioned on July 31, 2023, with users directed to the updated Version 6.1.

Use Cases

• Modeling surface albedo for climate simulations based on the BRDF parameters.
• Analyzing daily land surface reflectance properties for MODIS band 5.
• Incorporating high-latitude observational data into climate models based on the described improvements.
• Isolating high-quality full inversion results for scientific applications using the band-specific quality flags mentioned.

Strengths

• Global spatial coverage at a consistent 30 arc second resolution.
• Daily temporal production using a 16-day observation window from two satellite platforms (Terra and Aqua).
• Specific improvements noted for high-latitude quality and snow status weighting.

Limitations

• This Version 6 product is decommissioned; the description urges users to avoid substantive use and wait for the corrected Collection 6.1 products.
• Known issues, particularly related to aerosol representation impacting downstream products over arid bright surfaces, are documented.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

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

Time Range

Daily production; temporal weighting to the ninth day of a 16-day period.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:43:18.444057; however, the dataset version is deprecated.

Geography

Global coverage (Climate Modeling Grid).