Daily Global White Sky Albedo for MODIS Band 4

Daily global white-sky albedo values for MODIS band 4 are provided at 30 arc-second (1,000 meter) resolution. The LPCLOUD organization produces this dataset using 16 days of combined Terra and Aqua MODIS observations, temporally weighted to the ninth day of the collection period.

Use Cases

• Model surface reflectance in climate simulations using daily white-sky albedo for MODIS band 4.
• Analyze temporal trends in land surface albedo by tracking the daily white-sky albedo layer.
• Validate albedo estimates from other sensors or models against the MODIS band 4 white-sky albedo data.
• Assess the quality of albedo retrievals by applying the band-specific quality flags described in the user guide.

Strengths

• Daily temporal resolution provides frequent snapshots of surface albedo.
• Global spatial coverage at 30 arc-second resolution supports climate-scale analysis.
• Data integrates observations from both Terra and Aqua MODIS instruments over a 16-day window.

Limitations

• Each product file contains only one data layer, requiring multiple files for multi-band analysis.
• Known issues exist, requiring users to consult the MODIS/VIIRS Land Quality Assessment website.
• The 1,000-meter resolution may be insufficient for regional or local-scale studies.

Provenance

Source

LPCLOUD

Collection Method

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

Freshness

Daily

Geography

Global