Terra MODIS 8-Day Global Surface Reflectance Composite

Surface spectral reflectance estimates for Terra MODIS bands 1-7 are provided, corrected for atmospheric gases, aerosols, and Rayleigh scattering. The product includes seven 500-meter reflectance bands, two quality layers, and four observation bands, composited over an 8-day period. It is produced by LPCLOUD from NASA's MODIS instrument on the Terra satellite.

Use Cases

• Classify land cover types using the seven spectral reflectance bands (1-7).
• Monitor vegetation health by analyzing temporal changes in the near-infrared (band 2) and red (band 1) reflectance values.
• Assess aerosol loading or atmospheric correction quality using the provided quality assurance layers.
• Select the clearest observation for a pixel within the 8-day composite using the minimum blue channel (band 3) value criteria.
• Study surface albedo dynamics by combining reflectance data from multiple bands across the composite period.

Strengths

• Provides seven spectral bands at a 500-meter spatial resolution.
• Data is atmospherically corrected for gases, aerosols, and Rayleigh scattering.
• Includes ancillary quality layers and observation bands for validation.

Limitations

• Pixel selection for the 8-day composite relies on criteria like cloud cover and solar zenith, which may not capture daily dynamics.
• Known issues exist, documented on the MODIS/VIIRS Land Quality Assessment website, indicating potential data artifacts.
• The composite method using the minimum blue channel value may bias selection towards specific atmospheric conditions.

Provenance

Source

LPCLOUD/NASA Earthdata from the MODIS instrument on the Terra satellite.

Collection Method

Atmospherically corrected surface reflectance estimates composited from multiple acquisitions over an 8-day period based on cloud and solar zenith criteria.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Global coverage.