MCD43D40: Daily Global Snow Status for Albedo Retrieval at 1km Resolution

MCD43D40 Version 6.1 provides daily global snow cover status information for albedo retrieval at 30 arc second (approximately 1,000 meter) resolution. The dataset is produced by NASA using 16 days of combined Terra and Aqua MODIS satellite data, temporally weighted to the ninth day. This Climate Modeling Grid product is designed for use in global climate simulation models.

Use Cases

• Flagging snow-covered pixels for climate model input based on the 'Snow-free Albedo Retrieved' or 'Snow Albedo Retrieved' status.
• Assessing surface albedo quality for energy balance studies using the band-specific quality flags mentioned in the user guide.
• Analyzing daily global snow cover dynamics for hydrological or cryospheric research.
• Improving land surface model parameterization by integrating snow status information from the MCD43D product suite.

Strengths

• Produced daily using data from two satellite platforms (Terra and Aqua MODIS), suggesting frequent temporal coverage.
• Global spatial coverage at a consistent 1,000-meter resolution, suitable for climate-scale modeling.
• Version 6.1 incorporates specific calibration improvements, including RVS, optical crosstalk, and polarization corrections as noted in the description.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The description notes known issues, requiring users to consult an external website for complete information.

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 weighting to the ninth day of a 16-day window.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:41:22.337427; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global