Global Land Cover Types from MODIS Satellite 2001-2020

Global land cover types are provided at yearly intervals from 2001 to 2020. The dataset is derived from supervised classifications of MODIS Terra and Aqua satellite reflectance data, produced by LPCLOUD. It includes multiple classification schemes and layers for land cover properties and quality control.

Use Cases

• Tracking annual changes in the 'Land Cover Type 1' classification to model deforestation or urban expansion.
• Using the 'Land Cover Property' layers to estimate regional biomass or vegetation density over time.
• Applying the 'Land Water Mask' to isolate terrestrial from aquatic pixels for continent-scale hydrological studies.
• Validating other land cover products by comparing the 'Land Cover Quality Control' layer across different classification schemes.

Strengths

• Yearly global coverage from 2001 to 2020 provides a 20-year time series.
• Data incorporates six different land cover classification schemes for flexibility.
• Derived from combined MODIS Terra and Aqua sensor data for improved reliability.

Limitations

• The dataset was decommissioned in July 2023, indicating it is a legacy version with potential unresolved issues.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and spatial resolution details beyond '500m' and 'global' are not provided in the input.
• Known issues documented in the user guide require additional review before use.

Provenance

Source

NASA Earthdata via LPCLOUD.

Collection Method

Supervised classification of MODIS Terra and Aqua reflectance data, with post-processing using prior knowledge and ancillary information.

Time Range

2001 to 2020

Freshness

Yearly updates ended with the last data year of 2020; the product version is no longer maintained.

Geography

Global