MCD43D34: Daily Global BRDF/Albedo Quality Data for Climate Models

MCD43D34 Version 6 is a decommissioned NASA MODIS data product providing daily Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function and Albedo quality information. The dataset is produced using 16 days of Terra and Aqua satellite observations at a 30 arc second (1,000 meter) resolution, temporally weighted to the ninth day, and covers the entire globe. The product was decommissioned on July 31, 2023, with users encouraged to migrate to Version 6.1.

Use Cases

• Filtering high-quality albedo retrievals based on the valid observation quality flags described in the user guide.
• Assessing data reliability for climate simulation models based on the daily, global Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) product.
• Investigating temporal consistency in surface reflectance using the 16-day weighted observation period.
• Analyzing potential impacts of known aerosol representation issues on downstream products over bright surfaces.

Strengths

• Provides global coverage at a consistent 30 arc second (1,000 meter) spatial resolution.
• Data is produced daily using a 16-day observation window, offering frequent temporal updates.
• Managed and documented by NASA, with a detailed user guide and known issues log available.

Limitations

• This specific Version 6 product was officially decommissioned on July 31, 2023, and users are directed to use Version 6.1.
• Known issues in Collection 6, particularly regarding aerosol representation, may impact data quality over arid bright surfaces.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

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

Time Range

Daily production; data is temporally weighted to the ninth day of a 16-day period.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:23:36.793712; freshness should be verified as the product is decommissioned.

Geography

Global coverage.