MCD43D38: Daily Global BRDF/Albedo Quality Data for Climate Models

MCD43D38 Version 6 data provides daily global Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function and Albedo quality information at 30 arc second (1,000 meter) resolution. The dataset is produced by NASA using 16 days of Terra and Aqua MODIS observations, weighted to the ninth day of the period. This product was decommissioned on July 31, 2023, with users directed to use the Version 6.1 product.

Use Cases

• Filtering high-quality albedo retrievals for climate simulations based on the valid observation quality layer.
• Assessing data reliability over bright, arid surfaces using the band-specific quality flags.
• Improving high-latitude climate model inputs based on the use of all available observations from the acquisition period.

Strengths

• Provides daily global coverage at a consistent 30 arc second spatial resolution.
• Incorporates observations from both Terra and Aqua MODIS satellites over a 16-day retrieval period.
• Designed specifically for use in global climate simulation models (CMG).

Limitations

• The dataset description explicitly states Version 6 has known issues and was decommissioned; substantive use is discouraged.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The description metadata is technical and focused on version deprecation, limiting immediate assessment of data utility.

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, with data temporally weighted to the ninth day of a 16-day period.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:40:40.874281; freshness should be verified as the core data product is deprecated.

Geography

Global coverage (Climate Modeling Grid).