MODIS Terra Monthly Global Vegetation Indices at 1km Resolution

Global monthly vegetation index data at 1 kilometer spatial resolution, derived from NASA's Terra MODIS satellite. The dataset provides continuity for historical time series applications and includes the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). It is produced by the LPCLOUD organization and was decommissioned in July 2023, with users directed to an updated version.

Use Cases

• Modeling global biogeochemical and hydrologic processes using NDVI and EVI time series.
• Monitoring global vegetation conditions and land cover changes with monthly 1km resolution data.
• Characterizing land surface biophysical properties using included reflectance bands (red, near-infrared, blue, mid-infrared).
• Providing continuity for historical climate applications by complementing NOAA AVHRR NDVI products.
• Assessing atmospheric contamination and canopy background variations using the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI).

Strengths

• Provides global spatial coverage at a consistent 1 kilometer resolution.
• Includes two primary vegetation indices (NDVI and EVI) plus four reflectance bands and quality assurance layers.
• Designed for long-term time series analysis, complementing historical NOAA AVHRR products.
• Algorithm employs a weighted temporal average of all overlapping 16-day products for monthly composites.

Limitations

• The dataset (Version 6) was officially decommissioned on July 31, 2023, limiting its use for current analysis.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, listing both 2023-01-31 and 2026-03 12.
• Known issues exist with the incorrect representation of aerosol quantities in the underlying surface reflectance data.

Provenance

Source

NASA Terra MODIS satellite, processed by LPCLOUD.

Collection Method

Gridded Level 3 product generated from ingested MOD13A2 products using a weighted temporal average.

Time Range

Monthly composites, specific start and end dates not provided.

Freshness

2026-03-12 23:35:27.560699

Geography

Global coverage in sinusoidal projection.