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Description
The Terra and Aqua combined Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Land Cover Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) (MCD12C1) Version 6.1 data product provides a spatially aggregated and reprojected version of the tiled MCD12Q1 Version 6.1 data product. Maps of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), University of Maryland (UMD), and Leaf Area Index (LAI) classification schemes are provided at yearly intervals at 0.05 degree (5,600 meter) spatial resolution for the entire globe. Additionally, sub-pixel proportions of each land cover class in each 0.05 degree pixel is provided along with the aggregated quality assessment information for each of the three land classification schemes.
Provided in each MCD12C1 Version 6.1 Hierarchical Data Format 4 (HDF4) file are layers for Majority Land Cover Type 1-3, Majority Land Cover Type 1-3 Assessment, and Majority Land Cover Type 1-3 Percent.
Known Issues
Known issues are described in Section 2.2 of the User Guide.
The following changes and improvements were implemented for inputs to MODIS Version 6.1 Land Cover 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, (2) A polarization correction has been applied to the L1B Reflective Solar Bands (RSB), and (3) A minor correction to the UMD Land Cover classification.
Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC)
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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)
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.
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Citation Copied
Friedl, M., & Sulla-Menashe, D. (2022). MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 0.05Deg CMG V061 [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12C1.061 Date Accessed: 2026-08-23
For detailed presentation and discussion of this dataset, see - Marelle et al.: Modeling mineral dust aerosols in the Arctic with the regional model WRF-Chem 4.6.1, 2026, submitted to GMDFor source datasets: - MODIS dataset: https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12C1.061 - Natural Earth Data version 5.0.0 lake dataset: https://www.naturalearthdata.com/downloads/10m-physical-vectors/10m-lakes/
Friedl, M., & Sulla-Menashe, D. (2022). MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 0.05Deg CMG V061 [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12C1.061 Date Accessed: 2026-08-23
Friedl, Mark, and Damien Sulla-Menashe. “MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 0.05Deg CMG V061.” NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center, 2022, https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12C1.061. Date Accessed: 2026-08-23
File Naming Convention
MCD12C1.A2023001.061.2024251212901.hdf
The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MCD12C1) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2023001), the Version of the data collection (061), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2024251212901), and the Data Format (hdf).