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Description
Daily data from the MODIS instrument on NASA's Terra satellite provides geolocation fields for each 1 km sample across all orbits. The dataset includes geodetic latitude, longitude, surface height, solar and satellite viewing angles, and a land/sea mask, calculated using spacecraft attitude, orbit, and a digital elevation model. This Level 1A product is a foundational input for numerous downstream MODIS land and atmosphere data products.
Use Cases
Precise georeferencing of MODIS spectral data based on latitude, longitude, and height fields.
Calculating solar illumination conditions for surface reflectance models using solar zenith and azimuth angles.
Correcting for satellite viewing geometry in analyses using satellite zenith and azimuth angles.
Masking oceanic pixels in land-focused studies using the included land/sea mask.
Deriving approximate detector locations for any MODIS spectral band using header information.
Strengths
Cross-platform presence on NASA-affiliated portals indicates established importance and reliability.
Provides foundational data for a large number of subsequent MODIS products, as stated in descriptions.
Individual file size (~30 MB) and daily volume (~8 GB) are explicitly quantified, indicating scale.
Limitations
Column names and a complete schema are not provided on any platform, hindering precise understanding of data structure.
Metadata completeness is inconsistent; author, exact license, and row counts are unknown.
The 'last updated' date of 2026-04-10 appears to be a future placeholder, casting doubt on metadata freshness.
Provenance
Source
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), MODIS Science Team
Collection Method
Calculated from spacecraft attitude, orbit, instrument telemetry, and a digital elevation model.
Time Range
Daily coverage for all orbits (specific start date not provided).
Freshness
2026-04-10 00:12:48.598614 (Note: This appears to be a future date and may be a placeholder or error.)
Geography
Global coverage from the Terra satellite's swath.
License is listed as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov; users should verify terms directly from NASA. Data volume is approximately 8 GB per day.