MCD43D57: Daily Global White-Sky Albedo for MODIS Band 6 at 1km Resolution

Global daily white-sky albedo data for MODIS band 6, produced at a 30 arc second (1,000 meter) resolution. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) generates this product using 16 days of Terra and Aqua MODIS observations, temporally weighted to the ninth day. This dataset was decommissioned on July 31, 2023, with users directed to the Version 6.1 product.

Use Cases

• Parameterizing climate simulation models based on the daily, global white-sky albedo data.
• Analyzing land surface radiative properties based on the bihemispherical reflectance (white-sky albedo) for MODIS spectral band 6.
• Assessing data quality for scientific applications based on the band-specific quality flags described in the user guide.

Strengths

• Provides daily global coverage at a consistent 1,000-meter spatial resolution.
• Data is temporally weighted to the ninth day of a 16-day observation period, aiming for a representative estimate.
• Product documentation references known issues and corrections implemented in the subsequent Collection 6.1 version.

Limitations

• This Version 6 product is decommissioned; the provider urges users to avoid substantive use and switch to Version 6.1.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Known issues in the underlying Collection 6 surface reflectance products may have impacted this dataset, particularly over arid bright surfaces.

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 weighted to the ninth day of a 16-day period.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 12 23:22:58.843555; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global coverage (Climate Modeling Grid).