MOD16A3GF: Global Yearly Net Evapotranspiration at 500m Resolution

A gap-filled yearly composite dataset of global net evapotranspiration and latent heat flux at 500-meter pixel resolution. The data product is generated by NASA using the MODIS sensor on the Terra satellite and an algorithm based on the Penman-Monteith equation. The dataset was decommissioned on July 31, 2023, with users directed to a newer version.

Use Cases

• Modeling global water cycles based on yearly composite evapotranspiration (ET) layers.
• Analyzing land-atmosphere energy exchange based on latent heat flux (LE) data.
• Assessing drought or vegetation stress using potential evapotranspiration (PET) as a reference.
• Validating hydrological models with gap-filled, quality-controlled yearly data products.

Strengths

• Provides gap-filled data where poor-quality inputs have been cleaned based on Quality Control labels.
• Spatial resolution increased to 500 meters from 1,000 meters in the previous version.
• Includes layers for composited ET, LE, Potential ET (PET), and Potential LE (PLE).

Limitations

• Dataset is not available in near-real time, as it is generated only at the end of each year.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Produced using the MODIS sensor on the Terra satellite and an algorithm based on the Penman-Monteith equation, incorporating meteorological reanalysis and MODIS data products.

Time Range

Yearly composites.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:38:43.695559; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global