MODIS/Terra Surface Reflectance: 8-Day Global Composites at 250m Resolution

MODIS09Q1 Version 6.1 provides surface spectral reflectance estimates for Terra MODIS Bands 1 and 2, corrected for atmospheric conditions. The product is an 8-day composite at 250-meter resolution, with pixel selection based on criteria including cloud cover and solar zenith. It is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Monitor land surface changes over time based on the 8-day composite reflectance data.
• Assess vegetation health and dynamics using the corrected surface reflectance in Bands 1 and 2.
• Validate atmospheric correction models based on the described corrections for gasses, aerosols, and Rayleigh scattering.
• Study seasonal and interannual trends in surface properties using the quality-controlled, multi-temporal composites.

Strengths

• Data is atmospherically corrected for gasses, aerosols, and Rayleigh scattering.
• Includes two quality assurance layers for each pixel.
• Version 6.1 incorporates calibration improvements, including a polarization correction and RVS changes.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Known issues exist and require consultation of an external website for complete information.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Composite created from Terra MODIS acquisitions within 8-day periods, with pixel selection based on cloud and solar zenith criteria.

Time Range

The description mentions corrections for a period from 2012 to 2017, suggesting long-term temporal coverage.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:37:02.116756; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global coverage using the SIN grid projection.