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Description

This data set contains daily, gridded snow cover and albedo derived from radiance data acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board the Aqua satellite. Snow cover is identified using the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) and a series of screens designed to alleviate errors and flag uncertain snow cover detections.

As of August 2023, this data set is retired and no longer available for download. We recommend using <a href="https://nsidc.org/data/myd10a1/versions/61">MODIS/Aqua Snow Cover Daily L3 Global 500m SIN Grid, Version 61</a> as an alternative.

Version Description

Changes for Version 6 include:
  • Fractional Snow Cover has been replaced by Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) snow cover. Fractional Snow Cover is no longer calculated;
  • The binary Snow-Covered Area (SCA) map has been discontinued;
  • Aqua MODIS band 6 data have been restored to scientific quality using a Quantitative Image Restoration (QIR) technique. Aqua now uses the same snow detection algorithm as Terra;
  • Existing data screens designed to reduce snow detection errors have been revised and several new screens have been added;
  • Data screen results, including snow detection reversals and detections with increased uncertainty, are provided in a new QA bit flag;
  • Basic pixel-level QA uses new criteria to indicate the overall quality of algorithm result;
  • Pointers are provided to locate the swaths used for each day's observation.

Product Summary

Platforms
Aqua
Instruments
MODIS
Spatial Extent

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

Spatial Resolution
500 Meters x 500 Meters
Location
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
2002-07-04 to 2023-02-25
Temporal Resolution
1 Day
Concept ID
C3091255765-NSIDC_CPRD
Data State
DEPRECATED
Number of Files/Granules
0
Processing Level
3
Published
Science Keywords
Albedo ,
Albedo ,
Snow Cover

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

Hall, D. K., & Riggs, G. A. (2015). MODIS/Aqua Snow Cover Daily L3 Global 500m SIN Grid, Version 6 [Dataset]. NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MYD10A1.006 Date Accessed: 2026-07-22

Documents

Publications Citing This Dataset

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Title Year Author Topic
Enhancing SWAT's snow module for multivariate Elevation-dependent snow Bayat, Mehrad, Mojaradi, Barat, Alizadeh, Hosein Albedo, Snow Cover, Albedo
Bedrock Controls on Water and Energy Partitioning Ehlert, Robert S., Hahm, W. Jesse, Dralle, David N., Rempe, Daniella M., Allen, Diana M. Albedo, Snow Cover, Albedo
Controls over Fire Characteristics in Siberian Larch Forests Webb, Elizabeth E., Alexander, Heather D., Loranty, Michael M., Talucci, Anna C., Lichstein, Jeremy W. Terrain Elevation, RADAR IMAGERY, Topographical Relief Maps, Albedo, Albedo, Snow Cover
Estimating Regional Snow Line Elevation Using Public Webcam Images Portenier, Celine, Hasler, Martina, Wunderle, Stefan Albedo, Snow Cover, Albedo
Annual and inter-annual variability and trends of albedo of Icelandic glaciers Gunnarsson, Andri, Gardarsson, Sigurdur M., Palsson, Finnur, Johannesson, Tomas, Sveinsson, Oli G. B. Albedo, Anisotropy, Albedo, Snow Cover, Albedo
Behind the scenes of streamflow model performance Bouaziz, Laurene J. E., Fenicia, Fabrizio, Thirel, Guillaume, de Boer-Euser, Tanja, Buitink, Joost, Brauer, Claudia C., De Niel, Jan, Dewals, Benjamin J., Drogue, Gilles, Grelier, Benjamin, Melsen, Lieke A., Moustakas, Sotirios, Nossent, Jiri, Pereira, Fernando, Sprokkereef, Eric, Stam, Jasper, Weerts, Albrecht H., Willems, Patrick, Savenije, Hubert H. G., Hrachowitz, Markus Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Albedo, Snow Cover, Albedo
Estimating fractional snow cover from passive microwave brightness temperature data using MODIS snow cover product over North America Xiao, Xiongxin, Liang, Shunlin, He, Tao, Wu, Daiqiang, Pei, Congyuan, Gong, Jianya Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Albedo, Snow Cover, Albedo
A machine-learning-based cloud detection and thermodynamic-phase classification algorithm using passive spectral observations Wang, Chenxi, Platnick, Steven, Meyer, Kerry, Zhang, Zhibo, Zhou, Yaping Clouds, Cloud Frequency, Cloud Height, Infrared Radiance, REFLECTED INFRARED, Visible Radiance, Cloud Properties, Cloud Fraction, Cloud Top Height, Cloud Top Temperature, Cloud Emissivity, Atmospheric Emitted Radiation, Emissivity, Optical Depth/Thickness, Radiative Flux, Reflectance, Transmittance, Cloud Condensation Nuclei, Cloud Droplet Concentration/Size, Cloud Liquid Water/Ice, Cloud Optical Depth/Thickness, Cloud Precipitable Water, Cloud Asymmetry, Cloud Ceiling, Cloud Top Pressure, Cloud Vertical Distribution, Cloud Radiative Forcing, Cloud Reflectance, Cloud Types, Sea Ice Concentration, Snow Cover, Surface Temperature, Skin Temperature, Upper Air Temperature, Air Temperature, Atmospheric Winds, Surface Winds, U/V Wind Components, Atmospheric Pressure, Sea Level Pressure, Surface Pressure, Specific Humidity, Total Precipitable Water, Atmospheric Water Vapor, Atmospheric Ozone, Oxygen Compounds, Altitude, Boundary Layer Winds, Albedo, Albedo
Continuity of MODIS and VIIRS snow cover extent data products for development of an Earth science data record Riggs, George, Hall, Dorothy Albedo, Snow Cover, Albedo
Dark Glacier Surface of Greenland's Largest Floating Tongue Governed by Humbert, Angelika, Schroder, Ludwig, Schultz, Timm, Muller, Ralf, Neckel, Niklas, Helm, Veit, Zindler, Robin, Eleftheriadis, Konstantinos, Salzano, Roberto, Salvatori, Rosamaria Albedo, Albedo, Snow Cover, Reflectance
Ensemble-based assimilation of fractional snow-covered area satellite retrievals to estimate the snow distribution at Arctic sites Aalstad, Kristoffer, Westermann, Sebastian, Schuler, Thomas Vikhamar, Boike, Julia, Bertino, Laurent Albedo, Snow Cover, Albedo
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