MCD43A2: Daily Global BRDF/Albedo Quality Data at 500m Resolution

MODIS MCD43A2 Version 6.1 provides daily quality information for BRDF and albedo products derived from Terra and Aqua satellite data. The dataset is produced at a 500-meter resolution using a temporally weighted 16-day retrieval period. It is authored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Filtering high-quality albedo retrievals based on the band-specific quality flags described in the user guide.
• Assessing data reliability for land surface models using the BRDF/Albedo uncertainty information.
• Masking low-quality observations in reflectance time series analysis using the inversion information and days of valid observation.
• Identifying surface conditions for radiative transfer studies using the land water type and snow BRDF albedo data.

Strengths

• Provides daily global coverage at a consistent 500-meter spatial resolution.
• Includes quality information for seven MODIS spectral bands (1-7), enabling band-specific filtering.
• Version 6.1 incorporates specific calibration improvements, including RVS, 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.
• Data are produced using a 16-day composite period, which may smooth over rapid surface changes.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Produced daily from 16 days of Terra and Aqua MODIS satellite data, temporally weighted to the ninth day.

Time Range

Daily production; temporal coverage depends on the operational period of the MODIS sensors.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:23:45.800866; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global