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Description

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) MCD43A2 Version 6.1 Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function and Albedo (BRDF/Albedo) Quality dataset is produced daily using 16 days of Terra and Aqua MODIS data at 500 meter (m) resolution. Data are temporally weighted to the ninth day of the 16-day retrieval period which is reflected in the Julian date in the file name. MCD43A2 contains the quality information for the corresponding MCD43A3 Albedo and MCD43A4 Nadir BRDF-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) products.

Users are urged to use the band specific quality flags to isolate the highest quality full inversion results for their own science applications as described in the User Guide.

The MCD43A2 contains BRDF/Albedo band quality (inversion information) and days of valid observation within the 16-day period for MODIS bands 1 through 7 along with land water type, snow BRDF albedo, local solar noon, platform, and BRDF/Albedo uncertainty.

Known Issues

Version Description

The following changes and improvements were implemented for inputs to MODIS Version 6.1 BRDF/Albedo Model Parameters data products: (1) Version 6.1 Level-1B (L1B) products have been improved by undergoing various calibration changes that include: changes to the response-versus-scan angle (RVS) approach that affects reflectance bands for Aqua and Terra MODIS, corrections to adjust for the optical crosstalk in Terra MODIS infrared (IR) bands, and corrections to the Terra MODIS forward look-up table (LUT) update for the period 2012 – 2017, and (2) A polarization correction has been applied to the L1B Reflective Solar Bands (RSB).

Product Summary

Platforms
Terra ,
Aqua
Instruments
MODIS
Spatial Extent

N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180

Spatial Resolution
500 Meters x 500 Meters
Spatial Reference System(s)
MODIS Sinusoidal Tiling System
Location
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
2000-02-16 to Present
Temporal Resolution
1 Day
Data Partner
Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) ,
School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts, Boston (UMASS-B/SFE) ,
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
C2343116525-LPCLOUD
Data State
ACTIVE
Number of Files/Granules
2923637
Processing Level
3
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Reflectance ,
Albedo ,
Anisotropy

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

Schaaf, C., & Wang, Z. (2021). MODIS/Terra+Aqua BRDF/Albedo Quality Daily L3 Global - 500m V061 [Data set]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD43A2.061 Date Accessed: 2026-02-12

File Naming Convention

MCD43A2.A2025212.h11v12.061.2025221032740.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MCD43A2) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2025212), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h11v12), the Version of the data collection (061), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2025221032740), and the Data Format (hdf).

Documents

USER'S GUIDE

ALGORITHM THEORETICAL BASIS DOCUMENT (ATBD)

PRODUCT QUALITY ASSESSMENT

SCIENCE DATA PRODUCT VALIDATION

GENERAL DOCUMENTATION

Publications Citing This Dataset

Filters
Title Year Author
Using a vegetation index-based mixture model to estimate fractional vegetation cover products by jointly using multiple satellite data—Method and feasibility analysis Song, W.
Satellite observed vegetation dynamics and drivers in the Namib sand sea over the recent 20 years Qiao, N.
Spatial difference between temperature and snowfall driven spring phenology of alpine grassland land surface based on process-based modeling on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau An, S.
Potential of hotspot solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence for better tracking terrestrial photosynthesis Hao, D.
Consequences of the 2019 greenland ice sheet melt episode on albedo Elmes, A.
Evaluation of surface albedo over the Tibetan Plateau simulated by CMIP5 models using in-situ measurements and MODIS An, Y.
Retrieval and validation of forest background reflectivity from daily Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) data across European forests Pisek, J.
Changes in clear-sky shortwave aerosol direct radiative effects since 2002 Loeb, N. G.
Performance of GLASS and MODIS Satellite Albedo products in diagnosing Albedo variations during different time scales and special weather conditions in the Tibetan Plateau An, Y.
Land surface black-sky albedo at a fixed solar zenith angle and its relation to forest structure during peak growing season based on remote sensing data Alibakhshi, S.
SHOWING 10 OF 22

Variables

The table below lists the variables contained within a single granule for this dataset. Variables often contain observed or derived geophysical measurements collected from a variety of sources, including remote sensing instruments on satellite and airborne platforms, field campaigns, in situ measurements, and model outputs. The terms variable, parameter, scientific data set, layer, and band have been used across NASA’s Earth science disciplines; however, variable is the designated nomenclature in NASA’s Common Metadata Repository (CMR). Variable metadata attributes such as Name, Description, Units, Data Type, Fill Value, Valid Range, and Scale Factor allow users to efficiently process and analyze the data. The full range of attributes may not be applicable to all variables. Additional information on variable attributes is typically available in the data, user guide, and/or other product documentation.

For questions on a specific variable, please use the Earthdata Forum.

Name Description Units Data Type Fill Value Valid Range Scale Factor
BRDF_Albedo_Band_Quality_Band1 BRDF Inversion Information for Band 1 Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_Band_Quality_Band2 BRDF Inversion Information for Band 2 Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_Band_Quality_Band3 BRDF Inversion Information for Band 3 Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_Band_Quality_Band4 BRDF Inversion Information for Band 4 Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_Band_Quality_Band5 BRDF Inversion Information for Band 5 Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_Band_Quality_Band6 BRDF Inversion Information for Band 6 Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_Band_Quality_Band7 BRDF Inversion Information for Band 7 Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_LandWaterType Land Water Type Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_LocalSolarNoon Solar Zenith Angle of Local Solar Noon Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_Platform BRDF Albedo Platform information Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_Uncertainty BRDF Albedo Uncertainty N/A uint16 32767 0 to 32766 0.001
BRDF_Albedo_ValidObs_Band1 Valid Observation for Band 1 N/A uint16 0 1 to 65535 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_ValidObs_Band2 Valid Observation for Band 2 N/A uint16 0 1 to 65535 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_ValidObs_Band3 Valid Observation for Band 3 N/A uint16 0 1 to 65535 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_ValidObs_Band4 Valid Observation for Band 4 N/A uint16 0 1 to 65535 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_ValidObs_Band5 Valid Observation for Band 5 N/A uint16 0 1 to 65535 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_ValidObs_Band6 Valid Observation for Band 6 N/A uint16 0 1 to 65535 N/A
BRDF_Albedo_ValidObs_Band7 Valid Observation for Band 7 N/A uint16 0 1 to 65535 N/A
Snow_BRDF_Albedo Snow-free BRDF/Albedo retrieved Bit Field uint8 255 0 to 254 N/A
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