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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
Known issues are described on pages 5 and 6 of the User Guide.
The following changes and improvements were implemented for inputs to MODIS Version 6 land cover dynamics data products: (1) Additional Science Dataset (SDS) layers were included in Version 6, (2) Changes were implemented to better capture phenometrics in systems with multiple vegetation cycles per year, (3) Version 6 methodological approach increased the reliability of retrieved phenometrics in tropical, arid, and semi-arid ecosystems, (4) Modifications were designed to more accurately represent phenometrics in systems where NBAR-EVI2 time series do not closely resemble logistic growth patterns, (5) Version 6 delivers phenometrics in a more usable and intuitive way when vegetation cycles cross calendar boundaries, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere, (6) Vegetation cycles in a product year are determined by the date of peak NBAR-EVI2 within the product's calendar year, (7) Date representation changed to days since January 1, 1970, and (8) Overall quality improvements with phenometric-specific quality layers provided.
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)
Concept ID
C2763289446-LPCLOUD
Data State
DEPRECATED
Number of Files/Granules
0
Processing Level
3
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Plant Phenology
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Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
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.
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Citation Copied
Friedl, M., Gray, J., & Sulla-Menashe, D. (2019). MCD12Q2 MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Dynamics Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V006 [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q2.006 Date Accessed: 2026-07-23
Friedl, M., Gray, J., & Sulla-Menashe, D. (2019). MCD12Q2 MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Dynamics Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V006 [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q2.006 Date Accessed: 2026-07-23
Friedl, Mark, et al. “MCD12Q2 MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Dynamics Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V006.” NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center, 2019, https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q2.006. Date Accessed: 2026-07-23
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).