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Description

The MCD12Q2 Version 6 data product was decommissioned on July 31, 2023. Users are encouraged to use the MCD12Q2 Version 6.1 data product.

The Terra and Aqua combined Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Land Cover Dynamics (MCD12Q2) Version 6 data product provides global land surface phenology metrics at yearly intervals from 2001 to 2019. The MCD12Q2 Version 6 data product is derived from time series of the 2-band Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI2) calculated from MODIS Nadir Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR). Vegetation phenology metrics at 500 meter spatial resolution are identified for up to two detected growing cycles per year. For pixels with more than two valid vegetation cycles, the data represent the two cycles with the largest NBAR-EVI2 amplitudes.

Provided in each MCD12Q2 Version 6 Hierarchical Data Format 4 (HDF4) file are layers for the total number of vegetation cycles detected for the product year, the onset of greenness, greenup midpoint, maturity, peak greenness, senescence, greendown midpoint, dormancy, EVI2 minimum, EVI2 amplitude, integrated EVI2 over a vegetation cycle, as well as overall and phenology metric-specific quality information. A low-resolution browse image showing greenup is also available when viewing each MCD12Q2 granule. SDS layers may be multi-dimensional with up to two valid vegetation cycles.

For areas where the NBAR-EVI2 values are missing due to cloud cover or other reasons, the data gaps are filled with good quality NBAR-EVI2 values from the year directly preceding or following the product year.

Known Issues

Improvements/Changes from Previous Version

  • Additional Science Dataset (SDS) layers were included in Version 6.
  • Changes were implemented to better capture phenometrics in systems with multiple vegetation cycles per year.
  • Version 6 methodological approach increased the reliability of retrieved phenometrics in tropical, arid, and semi-arid ecosystems.
  • Modifications were designed to more accurately represent phenometrics in systems where NBAR-EVI2 time series do not closely resemble logistic growth patterns.
  • Version 6 delivers phenometrics in a more usable and intuitive way when vegetation cycles cross calendar boundaries, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • Vegetation cycles in a product year are determined by the date of peak NBAR-EVI2 within the product's calendar year.
  • Date representation changed to days since January 1, 1970.
  • Overall quality improvements with phenometric-specific quality layers provided.

Version Description

The MCD12Q2 Version 6 data product was decommissioned on July 31, 2023. Users are encouraged to use the MCD12Q2 Version 6.1 data product (https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q2.061).

Product Summary

Platforms
Terra,
Aqua
Instruments
MODIS
Spatial Extent
N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180
Spatial Resolution
500 Meters x 500 Meters
Geographic Region
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
2001-01-01 to 2019-12-31
Temporal Resolution
1 Year
Data Partner
Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC)
MODIS Adaptive Processing System, Terrestrial Information Systems Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division, Science and Exploration Directorate, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA (NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/TISL/MODAPS)
Concept ID
C2763289446-LPCLOUD
Data State
DEPRECATED
Processing Level
3
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Plant Phenology

Citation

Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.

Copy Citation

Friedl, M., Gray, J., & Sulla-Menashe, D. (2019). MCD12Q2 MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Dynamics Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V006 [Data set]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q2.006 Date Accessed: 2025-10-21

File Naming Convention

MCD12Q2.A2003001.h25v07.006.2019042212453.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MCD12Q2) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2003001), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h25v07), the Version of the data collection (006), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2019042212453), and the Data Format (hdf).

Documents

Publications Citing This Dataset

Filters
Title Year Author
Potential of using surface temperature data to benchmark Sentinel-2-based forest phenometrics in boreal Finland Majasalmi, T.
The divergent response of vegetation phenology to urbanization—A case study of Beijing city, China Zhang, Y.
No evidence for a negative effect of growing season photosynthesis on leaf senescence timing Lu, X.
Response of vegetation phenology to the interaction of temperature and precipitation changes in Qilian Mountains Li, C.
Soybean EOS spatiotemporal characteristics and their climate drivers in global major regions Lou, Z.
A generalized model to predict large-scale crop yields integrating satellite-based vegetation index time series and phenology metrics Ji, Z.
Forest fire and its key drivers in the tropical forests of northern Vietnam Trang, P. T.
Uncertainty in parameterizing a flux-based model of vegetation carbon phenology using ecosystem respiration Gong, Y.
Characterising the land surface phenology of Middle Eastern countries using moderate resolution Landsat data Qader, S. H.
Mapping burn severity in the western Italian Alps through phenologically coherent reflectance composites derived from Sentinel-2 imagery Morresi, D.
SHOWING 10 OF 59

Variables

Variables are a set of physical properties whose values determine the characteristics or behavior of something. For example, temperature and pressure are variables of the atmosphere. Parameters and variables can be used interchangeably. Variable level attributes provide individual information for each variable.

The Name in this table is the variable name. Fill value indicates missing or undefined data points in a variable. Valid range is the range of values the variable can store. Scale factor is used to increase or decrease the size of an object and can be used to correct for distortion. For questions on a specific variable, please use the Earthdata Forum.

Name Description Units Data Type Fill Value Valid Range Scale Factor
Dormancy Date when EVI2 last crossed 15% of the segment EVI2 amplitude Day int16 32767 32767 to 32766 N/A
EVI_Amplitude Segment maximum - minimum EVI2 EVI2 int16 32767 32767 to 10000 0.0001
EVI_Area Sum of daily interpolated EVI2 from Greenup to Dormancy EVI2 int16 32767 32767 to 3700 0.1
EVI_Minimum Segment minimum EVI2 value EVI2 int16 32767 32767 to 10000 0.0001
Greenup Date when EVI2 first crossed 15% of the segment EVI2 amplitude Day int16 32767 32767 to 32766 N/A
Maturity Date when EVI2 first crossed 90% of the segment EVI2 amplitude Day int16 32767 32767 to 32766 N/A
MidGreendown Date when EVI2 last crossed 50% of the segment EVI2 amplitude Day int16 32767 32767 to 32766 N/A
MidGreenup Date when EVI2 first crossed 50% of the segment EVI2 amplitude Day int16 32767 32767 to 32766 N/A
NumCycles Total number of valid vegetation cycles with peak in product year Number int16 32767 32767 to 7 N/A
Peak Date when EVI2 reached the segment maximum Day int16 32767 32767 to 32766 N/A
QA_Detailed Bit-packed, SDS-specific QA codes Bit Field int16 32767 32767 to 16383 N/A
QA_Overall QA code for entire segment Class int16 32767 32767 to 3 N/A
Senescence Date when EVI2 last crossed 90% of the segment EVI2 amplitude Day int16 32767 32767 to 32766 N/A
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