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Description

The MOD16A3 Version 6 data product was decommissioned due to unexpected errors in the input data. Users are encouraged to use the MOD16A3GF Version 6.1 data product.

The MOD16A3 Version 6 Evapotranspiration/Latent Heat Flux product is a yearly composite dataset produced at 500 meter (m) pixel resolution. The algorithm is based on the logic of the Penman-Monteith equation, which includes inputs of daily meteorological reanalysis data along with Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) remotely sensed data products such as vegetation property dynamics, albedo, and land cover.

Provided in the MOD16A3 product are layers for yearly Evapotranspiration (ET), Latent Heat Flux (LE), Potential ET (PET) and Potential LE (PLE) along with a quality control layer. Two low resolution browse images, ET and LE, are also available for each MOD16A3 granule.

The pixel values for the two Evapotranspiration layers (ET and PET) are the sum for all days within the defined year, and the pixel values for the two Latent Heat layers (LE and PLE) are the average of all days within the defined year.

Known Issues

Improvements/Changes from Previous Versions

  • Spatial resolution of Version 6 products has increased to nominal 500 m from nominal 1,000 m in Version 5.
  • Version 5 data products were previously distributed by the Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group at the University of Montana. The Version 6 products are a continuation of this project.

Version Description

The MOD16A3 Version 6 data product was decommissioned due to unexpected errors in the input data. Users are encouraged to use the MOD16A3GF Version 6.1 data product (https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD16A3GF.061).

Product Summary

Platforms
Terra
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 2003-12-31
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
C2763298097-LPCLOUD
Data State
DEPRECATED
Processing Level
4
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Evapotranspiration,
Photosynthesis,
Primary Production

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

Running, S., Mu, Q., & Zhao, M. (2017). MOD16A3 MODIS/Terra Net Evapotranspiration Yearly L4 Global 500m SIN Grid V006 [Data set]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD16A3.006 Date Accessed: 2025-10-25

File Naming Convention

MOD16A3.A2003001.h27v10.006.2017104061811.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MOD16A3) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2003001), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h27v10), the Version of the data collection (006), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2017104061811), and the Data Format (hdf).

Documents

Publications Citing This Dataset

Filters
Title Year Author
Remote sensing-aided rainfall-runoff modeling in the tropics of Costa Rica Arciniega-Esparza, S.
Combination of remote-sensing spectral indices to classify the areas of land degradation in West Burdwan district, India Kabiraj, S.
Assessment of vegetation dynamics and ecosystem resilience in the context of climate change and drought in the horn of Africa Measho, S.
Article testing evapotranspiration estimates based on MODIS satellite data in the assessment of the groundwater recharge of karst aquifers in southern Italy Ruggieri, G.
Modeling seasonal sediment yields for a medium-scale temperate forest/agricultural watershed Day, C. A.
Assessing the interaction of land cover/land use dynamics, climate extremes and food systems in Uganda Lunyolo, L. D.
Resource availability drives variation in a marsupial glider’s home-range size Stobo-Wilson, A. M.
Determining the dry boundary of the LST/FVC space for soil moisture monitoring—a semi-empirical method Sun, H.
Improved spatiotemporal representativeness and bias reduction of satellite-based evapotranspiration retrievals via use of in situ meteorology and constrained canopy surface resistance Sullivan, Ryan C.
Biomass-burning smoke heights over the Amazon observed from space Gonzalez-Alonso, L.
SHOWING 10 OF 16

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
ET_500m Total of Evapotranspiration kg/m²/year uint16 65529 65529 to 65500 0.1
ET_QC_500m Evapotranspiration Quality Assessment Percent uint8 255 255 to 100 N/A
LE_500m Average of Latent Heat Flux J/m²/day int16 32761 32761 to 32700 10000
PET_500m Total Potential Evapotranspiration kg/m²/year uint16 65529 65529 to 65500 0.1
PLE_500m Average of Potential Latent Heat Flux J/m²/day int16 32761 32761 to 32700 10000
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