AER_DBDT_D10KM_L3_MODIS_TERRA: Global Daily Aerosol Optical Depth at 0.1° Grid

NASA's TERRA satellite provides a high-resolution, daily global record of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from 2000 to the present. The dataset merges retrievals from the Deep Blue and Dark Target MODIS algorithms onto a consistent 0.1 x 0.1 degree grid. It includes averaged AOD values, standard deviation, pixel counts, and sensor zenith angle for quality filtering.

Use Cases

• Tracking long-term aerosol trends and pollution events based on the daily global time series from 2000-present.
• Validating atmospheric and air quality models using the high-resolution 0.1° gridded AOD data.
• Filtering data for specific surface types or quality using the provided standard deviation and sensor zenith angle parameters.
• Choosing algorithm-specific (Deep Blue or Dark Target) or combined AOD retrievals for different land cover applications.

Strengths

• Provides a continuous, long-term daily record from February 24, 2000, to the present.
• Offers high spatial resolution for a global aerosol product at a 0.1 x 0.1 degree grid.
• Includes quality metrics like standard deviation and pixel counts, and allows filtering by sensor zenith angle.
• Combines two established MODIS retrieval algorithms (Deep Blue and Dark Target) for broader surface coverage.

Limitations

• Specific column names and the exact data structure are not provided in the available metadata.
• The dataset's size, total row count, and precise update frequency are unknown.
• License is listed as 'other-license-specified' without explicit terms.

Provenance

Source

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC).

Collection Method

Generated from Level 2 AOD retrievals using MODIS Deep Blue and Dark Target algorithms aboard the TERRA satellite, averaged onto a global grid.

Time Range

2000-02-24 to present.

Freshness

Last updated metadata date is 2026-04 09, though this may refer to catalog entry, not data.

Geography

Global.