SMEX04 Terra MODIS Data: Soil Moisture Experiment Imagery

NASA's Terra MODIS satellite data supports the Soil Moisture Experiment 2004 (SMEX04) in arid regions of Arizona, USA, and Sonora, Mexico. The dataset consists of multiple MODIS data products, including imagery from infrared and visible wavelengths. Its primary purpose is for hydrological studies focused on soil moisture retrieval and validation.

Use Cases

• Validating soil moisture retrieval algorithms based on MODIS spectral bands.
• Analyzing land surface temperature and vegetation indices for hydrological modeling.
• Studying spatial patterns of soil moisture in the Arizona and Sonora regional study areas.

Strengths

• Data originates from the NASA Terra satellite's MODIS instrument, a standard source for Earth observation.
• Specifically collected for a defined scientific experiment (SMEX04), indicating focused utility.

Limitations

• Documentation was provided solely by the Principal Investigators and not reviewed by NSIDC, leading to potentially limited support.
• Column names and dataset size are unknown across all sources, hindering detailed assessment.
• Last updated dates conflict between sources (2004-12-31 vs. 2026-04-09), creating uncertainty about data currency.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on board the NASA Terra satellite.

Time Range

2004

Freshness

2026-04-09 22:08:55.517109

Geography

Regional study areas in Arizona, USA and Sonora, Mexico.