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Description

The MCD15A2H Version 6 data product was decommissioned on July 31, 2023. Users are encouraged to use the MCD15A2H Version 6.1 data product.

The MCD15A2H Version 6 Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 4, Combined Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR), and Leaf Area Index (LAI) product is an 8-day composite dataset with 500 meter pixel size. The algorithm chooses the best pixel available from all the acquisitions of both MODIS sensors located on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites from within the 8-day period.

LAI is defined as the one-sided green leaf area per unit ground area in broadleaf canopies and as one-half the total needle surface area per unit ground area in coniferous canopies. FPAR is defined as the fraction of incident photosynthetically active radiation (400-700 nm) absorbed by the green elements of a vegetation canopy.

Known Issues

Version Description

The following changes and improvements were implemented for inputs to MODIS Version 6 FPAR and LAI data products: (1) The Version 6 product uses the daily Level 2 Gridded (L2G)-lite surface reflectance as input as opposed to MODAGAGG, a MODIS daily aggregated surface reflectance product, used in Version 5, (2) Products are generated at native resolution of 500 meters rather than the 1,000 meters of the Version 5, and (3) Version 6 uses an improved multi-year land cover product.

Product Summary

Platforms
Terra ,
Aqua
Instruments
MODIS
Projects
TERRA ,
Aqua
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
2002-07-04 to 2023-02-17
Temporal Resolution
8 Day
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
C2763289447-LPCLOUD
Data State
DEPRECATED
Number of Files/Granules
0
Processing Level
4
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Leaf Characteristics ,
Photosynthetically Active Radiation ,
Leaf Area Index (LAI) ,
Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)

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

Myneni, R., Knyazikhin, Y., & Park, T. (2015). MCD15A2H MODIS/Terra+Aqua Leaf Area Index/FPAR 8-day L4 Global 500m SIN Grid V006 [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD15A2H.006 Date Accessed: 2026-07-06

File Naming Convention

MCD15A2H.A2002273.h11v12.006.2015151145313.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MCD15A2H) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2002273), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h11v12), the Version of the data collection (006), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2015151145313), and the Data Format (hdf).

Documents

Publications Citing This Dataset

Filters
Title Year Author Topic
Impact of model physics, meteorological forcing, and soil property data Zhang, Pei, Zheng, Donghai, van der Velde, Rogier, Wen, Jun, Su, Zhongbo Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Characteristics, Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Surface Pressure, Heat Flux, Longwave Radiation, Shortwave Radiation, Surface Temperature, Humidity, Evapotranspiration, Surface Winds, Rain, Precipitation Rate, Snow, Soil Moisture/Water Content, Soil Temperature, Land Surface Temperature, Snow Water Equivalent, Runoff
Improved evapotranspiration estimation using the Penman-Monteith Jawad, Muhammad, Behrangi, Ali, Farmani, Mohammad Ali, Qiu, Yuan, Sohi, Hossein Yousefi, Gupta, Aniket, Niu, Guo-Yue Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Evapotranspiration, Latent Heat Flux, Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Incorporating riparian vegetation and stochastic modelling in hydraulic geometry of the Yellow River Estuary inlet Song, Xiaolong, Xu, Haijue, Bai, Yuchuan Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)
Improving the representation of major Indian crops in the Community Land Model version 5.0 (CLM5) using site-scale crop data Reddy, Kangari Narender, Baidya Roy, Somnath, Rabin, Sam S., Lombardozzi, Danica L., Varma, Gudimetla Venkateswara, Biswas, Ruchira, Naik, Devavat Chiru Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)
Identifying differences in evapotranspiration and ecosystem water use Shao, Rui, Li, Jiaqi, Shao, Weiwei, Wang, Yicheng Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Runoff component quantification and future streamflow projection in a large mountainous basin based on a multidata-constrained cryospherichydrological model Zhang, Mengjiao, Nan, Yi, Tian, Fuqiang Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Rice yield predictions from remote sensing inputs in machine learning models Yu, Jin, Dong, Liangji, Zeng, Wenzhi, Lei, Guoqing Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)
Revealing the mismatch in the response to warm-wetting climate of Zhong, Dongping, Zeng, Lingwen, Chen, Ye, Tong, Yingdong, Bai, Nana, Sun, Jia, Zhang, Dongdong, Fu, Yingchun Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Resilience to hurricanes is high in mangrove blue carbon forests Reed, David, Chavez, Selena, CastanedaMoya, Edward, Oberbauer, Steven F., Troxler, Tiffany, Malone, Sparkle Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Response of Vegetation to Extreme Climate in the Yellow River Basin: Zhou, Shilun, Wang, Feiyang, Lyu, Ruiting, Liu, Maosheng, Nie, Ning Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Reducing hydrological uncertainty in large mountainous basins: the role Avesani, Diego, Nan, Yi, Tian, Fuqiang Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Regional wildfire smoke reduces boreal forest carbon uptake Van Huizen, B, Thompson, D K, Wilkinson, S L, Petrone, R M, Chasmer, L E, Kljun, N, Flannigan, M D, Devito, K J, Waddington, J M Aerosol Backscatter, Aerosol Extinction, Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness, Angstrom Exponent, Aerosol Particle Properties, Aerosol Radiance, Carbonaceous Aerosols, Dust/Ash/Smoke, Nitrate Particles, Organic Particles, Particulate Matter, Sulfate Particles, Optical Depth/Thickness, Radiative Flux, Reflectance, Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Land Surface Temperature, Fire Occurrence, Surface Thermal Properties, THERMAL ANOMALIES
Regional Emergence of Water-Related Browning in a Greening World Orth, Rene, Denissen, Jasper M. C., Kroll, Josephin, O, Sungmin, Bastos, Ana, Li, Wantong, Miralles, Diego G., RuizVasquez, Melissa, Hoek van Dijke, Anne J., Feldman, Andrew F., Migliavacca, Mirco, WangErlandsson, Lan, Stocker, Benjamin D., Teuling, Adriaan J., Yang, Hui, Zhan, Chunhui, Yu, Xin Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Persistent greenhouse conditions in Eocene North America point to lower climate sensitivity Smith, Krister T., Bruch, Angela A. Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Physically Based Canopy Interception Model for a Beech Forest Using Zagyvai-Kiss, Katalin Anita, Gribovszki, Zoltan, Kalicz, Peter, Zabret, Katarina, Szilagyi, Jozsef, Herceg, Andras Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Patterns and drivers of plant C:N:P stoichiometry across a 3000 km aridity gradient Wu, Jianzhao, Dong, Lingbo, Li, Jiwei, Liao, Yang, Shangguan, Zhouping, Wang, Bing, Deng, Lei Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)
Physics-augmented deep learning models for improving evapotranspiration estimation in global land regions Liu, Binrui, He, Xinguang, Lyu, Wenkai, Tao, Lizhi Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Precipitation-fire functional interactions control biomass stocks and Williams, Mathew, Milodowski, David T., Smallman, T. Luke, Dexter, Kyle G., Hegerl, Gabi C., McNicol, Iain M., O'Sullivan, Michael, Roesch, Carla M., Ryan, Casey M., Sitch, Stephen, Valade, Aude Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Primary Production, Gross Primary Production (gpp), Reflectance
Prediction of gully erosion susceptibility through the lens of the Han, Jeongho, Guzman, Jorge A., Chu, Maria L. Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Observed declines in leaf nitrogen explained by photosynthetic acclimation to CO2 Bassiouni, Maoya, G. Smith, Nicholas, Reu, Jacqueline C., Penuelas, Josep, Keenan, Trevor F. Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)
Observed decoupling of vegetation greenness and productivity despite regional coupling patterns across the Tibetan Plateau Lv, Jinxia, Zhao, Wenwu Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity, RADAR IMAGERY, Terrain Elevation, Topographical Relief Maps, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM)
Spatiotemporal dynamics and driving mechanisms of grassland biomass in Wang, Shuai, Ma, Xinshan, Yue, Yan, Zhou, Tao, Yang, Zhihan, Laffitte, Benjamin, Fu, Songyu, Tang, Xiaolu Evapotranspiration, Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Latent Heat Flux, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity
The response of carbon uptake to soil moisture stress: adaptation to climatic aridity Mengoli, Giulia, Harrison, Sandy P., Prentice, I. Colin Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity
Terrestrial Chlorophyll Limitation on Global Gross Primary Production Li, Longhui Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Stand structure plays a key role in regulating canopy conductance responses to water stress Zhang, Ji, Liu, Na, Zhang, Cicheng, Xiao, Xiong, He, Xinguang, Wu, Xiuchen Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)
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