Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer is a payload imaging sensor built by Santa Barbara Remote Sensing that was launched into Earth orbit by NASA in 1999 on board the Terra satellite, and in 2002 on board the Aqua satellite. The instruments capture data in 36 spectral bands ranging in wavelength from 0.4 μm to 14.4 μm and at varying spatial resolutions. Together the instruments image the entire Earth every 1 to 2 days. They are designed to provide measurements in large-scale global dynamics including changes in Earth's cloud cover, radiation budget and processes occurring in the oceans, on land, and in the lower atmosphere. MODIS utilizes four on-board calibrators in addition to the space view in order to provide in-flight calibration: solar diffuser, solar diffuser stability monitor, spectral radiometric calibration assembly, and a v-groove black body. MODIS has used the marine optical buoy for vicarious calibration. MODIS is succeeded by the VIIRS instrument on board the Suomi NPP satellite launched in 2011 and future Joint Polar Satellite System satellites.
The MODIS characterization support team is dedicated to the production of high-quality MODIS calibrated product which is a precursor to every geophysical science product. A detailed description of the MCST mission statement and other details can be found at MCST Web.
Applications
With its low spatial resolution but high temporal resolution, MODIS data are useful to track changes in the landscape over time. Examples of such applications are the monitoring of vegetation health by means of time-series analyses with vegetation indices, long term land cover changes, global snow cover trends, water inundation from pluvial, riverine, or sea level rise flooding in coastal areas, change of water levels of major lakes such as the Aral Sea, and the detection and mapping of wildland fires in the United States. The United States Forest Service's Remote Sensing Applications Center analyzes MODIS imagery on a continuous basis to provide information for the management and suppression of wildfires.Specifications
MODIS bands
| Band | Wavelength | Resolution | Primary use |
| 1 | 620–670 | 250 | Land/cloud/aerosols boundaries |
| 2 | 841–876 | 250 | Land/cloud/aerosols boundaries |
| 3 | 459–479 | 500 | Land/cloud/aerosols properties |
| 4 | 545–565 | 500 | Land/cloud/aerosols properties |
| 5 | 1230–1250 | 500 | Land/cloud/aerosols properties |
| 6 | 1628–1652 | 500 | Land/cloud/aerosols properties |
| 7 | 2105–2155 | 500 | Land/cloud/aerosols properties |
| 8 | 405–420 | 1000 | Ocean color/ phytoplankton/ biogeochemistry |
| 9 | 438–448 | 1000 | Ocean color/ phytoplankton/ biogeochemistry |
| 10 | 483–493 | 1000 | Ocean color/ phytoplankton/ biogeochemistry |
| 11 | 526–536 | 1000 | Ocean color/ phytoplankton/ biogeochemistry |
| 12 | 546–556 | 1000 | Ocean color/ phytoplankton/ biogeochemistry |
| 13 | 662–672 | 1000 | Ocean color/ phytoplankton/ biogeochemistry |
| 14 | 673–683 | 1000 | Ocean color/ phytoplankton/ biogeochemistry |
| 15 | 743–753 | 1000 | Ocean color/ phytoplankton/ biogeochemistry |
| 16 | 862–877 | 1000 | Ocean color/ phytoplankton/ biogeochemistry |
| 17 | 890–920 | 1000 | Atmospheric water vapor |
| 18 | 931–941 | 1000 | Atmospheric water vapor |
| 19 | 915–965 | 1000 | Atmospheric water vapor |
| Band | Wavelength | Resolution | Primary use |
| 20 | 3.660–3.840 | 1000 | Surface/cloud temperature |
| 21 | 3.929–3.989 | 1000 | Surface/cloud temperature |
| 22 | 3.929–3.989 | 1000 | Surface/cloud temperature |
| 23 | 4.020–4.080 | 1000 | Surface/cloud temperature |
| 24 | 4.433–4.498 | 1000 | Atmospheric temperature |
| 25 | 4.482–4.549 | 1000 | Atmospheric temperature |
| 26 | 1.360–1.390 | 1000 | Cirrus clouds water vapor |
| 27 | 6.535–6.895 | 1000 | Cirrus clouds water vapor |
| 28 | 7.175–7.475 | 1000 | Cirrus clouds water vapor |
| 29 | 8.400–8.700 | 1000 | Cloud properties |
| 30 | 9.580–9.880 | 1000 | Ozone |
| 31 | 10.780–11.280 | 1000 | Surface/cloud temperature |
| 32 | 11.770–12.270 | 1000 | Surface/cloud temperature |
| 33 | 13.185–13.485 | 1000 | Cloud top altitude |
| 34 | 13.485–13.785 | 1000 | Cloud top altitude |
| 35 | 13.785–14.085 | 1000 | Cloud top altitude |
| 36 | 14.085–14.385 | 1000 | Cloud top altitude |
MODIS data
MODIS Level 3 datasets
The following MODIS Level 3 datasets are available from NASA, as processed by the Collection 5 software.| Daily | 8-day | 16-day | 32-day | Monthly | Yearly | Grid | Platform | Description |
| MxD08_D3 | MxD08_E3 | — | — | MxD08_M3 | — | 1° CMG | Terra, Aqua | Aerosol, cloud water vapor, ozone |
| MxD10A1 | MxD10A2 | — | — | — | — | 500 m SIN | Terra, Aqua | Snow cover |
| MxD11A1 | MxD11A2 | — | — | — | — | 1000 m SIN | Terra, Aqua | Land surface temperature/emissivity |
| MxD11B1 | — | — | — | — | — | 6000 m SIN | Terra, Aqua | Land surface temperature/emissivity |
| MxD11C1 | MxD11C2 | — | — | MxD11C3 | — | 0.05° CMG | Terra, Aqua | Land surface temperature/emissivity |
| — | — | MxD13C1 | — | MxD13C2 | — | 0.05° CMG | Terra, Aqua | Vegetation indices |
| MxD14A1 | MxD14A2 | — | — | — | — | 1000 m SIN | Terra, Aqua | Thermal anomalies, fire |
| — | — | — | — | MCD45A1 | — | 500 m SIN | Terra+Aqua | Burned area |
| 250 m SIN | 500 m SIN | 1000 m SIN | 0.05° CMG | 1° CMG | Time window | Platform | Description |
| MxD09Q1 | MxD09A1 | — | — | — | 8-day | Terra, Aqua | Surface reflectance |
| — | — | — | MxD09CMG | — | Daily | Terra, Aqua | Surface reflectance |
| — | MCD12Q1 | — | MCD12C1 | — | Yearly | Terra+Aqua | Land cover type |
| — | MCD12Q2 | — | — | — | Yearly | Terra+Aqua | Land cover dynamics |
| MxD13Q1 | MxD13A1 | MxD13A2 | MxD13C1 | — | 16-day | Terra, Aqua | Vegetation indices |
| — | — | MxD13A3 | MxD13C2 | — | Monthly | Terra, Aqua | Vegetation indices |
| — | MCD43A1 | MCD43B1 | MCD43C1 | — | 16-day | Terra+Aqua | BRDF/albedo model parameters |
| — | MCD43A3 | MCD43B3 | MCD43C3 | — | 16-day | Terra+Aqua | Albedo |
| — | MCD43A4 | MCD43B4 | MCD43C4 | — | 16-day | Terra+Aqua | Nadir BRDF-adjusted reflectance |
Availability
Raw MODIS data stream can be received in real-time using a tracking antenna, due to the instrument's direct broadcast capability.Alternatively, the scientific data are made available to the public via several World Wide Web sites and FTP archives, such as:
- – the next generation metadata and service discovery tool, which has replaced the former Warehouse Inventory and Search Tool ;
- – Level 1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System web interface;
- – Land Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS
-
ftp://ladsftp.nascom.nasa.gov/– LAADS underlying FTP server; -
http://e4ftl01.cr.usgs.gov/– Earth land surface datasets; -
ftp://n4ftl01u.ecs.nasa.gov/– snow and ice datasets.