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Description

The MCD15A2H Version 6.1 Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 4 combined Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) 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 6.1 LAI/FPAR 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, and (2) A polarization correction has been applied to the L1B Reflective Solar Bands (RSB).

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 Present
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
C2222147000-LPCLOUD
Data State
ACTIVE
Number of Files/Granules
318140
Processing Level
4
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Photosynthetically Active Radiation ,
Leaf Area Index (LAI) ,
Leaf Characteristics ,
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. (2021). MODIS/Terra+Aqua Leaf Area Index/FPAR 8-Day L4 Global 500m SIN Grid V061 [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD15A2H.061 Date Accessed: 2026-08-23

File Naming Convention

MCD15A2H.A2025209.h23v11.061.2025218033337.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MCD15A2H) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2025209), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h23v11), the Version of the data collection (061), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2025218033337), and the Data Format (hdf).

Documents

USER'S GUIDE

ALGORITHM THEORETICAL BASIS DOCUMENT (ATBD)

PRODUCT QUALITY ASSESSMENT

SCIENCE DATA PRODUCT VALIDATION

GENERAL DOCUMENTATION

Publications Citing This Dataset

Filters
Title Year Author Topic
Photosynthetic optimum temperature plays a minor role in the increase of terrestrial carbon uptake from 2000 to 2019 Xu, Chongyang, Liu, Hongyan, Yakir, Dan, Liang, Boyi, Zhu, Xinrong, Zhou, Yu, Belelli Marchesini, Luca, Bonal, Damien, Buchmann, Nina, Brummer, Christian, Cleverly, Jamie, Feng, Siwen, Korkiakoski, Mika, Liddell, Michael J., Mauder, Matthias, Montagnani, Leonardo, Varlagin, Andrej, Vitale, Luca, Wang, Songhan, Woodgate, William, Grunzweig, Jose M. Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, Respiration Rate, Air Temperature, Surface Winds, Net Radiation, Heat Flux, Plant Phenology, Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Physically consistent reconstruction and propagation analysis of droughts using a physics-informed neural network framework Wang, Tian, Dai, Yongjiu, Zhou, Zhaoqiang, Tu, Xinjun, Lin, Kairong Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Natural forests show stronger carbon sink resistance to extreme drought Ding, Yifan, Huang, Xinran, Zhen, Zhen, Zhao, Wenxin, Wang, Xiaochun Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Inferential modeling of dry deposition across the Ammonia Monitoring Baublitz, Colleen B., Walker, John T., Wu, Zhiyong, Bash, Jesse O., Bell, Michael D., Pan, Da Heat Flux, Longwave Radiation, Shortwave Radiation, Surface Temperature, Evaporation, Evapotranspiration, Rain, Snow, Canopy Characteristics, Leaf Characteristics, Vegetation Cover, Soil Moisture/Water Content, Soil Temperature, Albedo, Land Surface Temperature, Snow Water Equivalent, Runoff, Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Towards physically consistent soil roughness for CIMR L-band soil Mondal, Debolina, Karthikeyan, Lanka, Konkathi, Preethi, Link, Moritz, Fernandez-Moran, Roberto, Piles, Maria, Li, Xiaojun, Wigneron, Jean-Pierre Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Plant Phenology, Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Two decades of human- and climate-induced groundwater storage shifts in Getirana, Augusto, Camacho, Clyvihk Renna, Mourao, Maria Antonieta A., Filho, Otto Correa Rotunno Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Evapotranspiration, Latent Heat Flux
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)
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)
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
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)
Strong and Rapid Postfire Recovery of Vegetation Productivity in Australia Pan, Li, Xiao, Xiangming, Qin, Yuanwei, Canadell, Josep G., Huete, Alfredo, Ciais, Philippe, Yin, Shenglai, Zhang, Chenchen, Pan, Baihong, Yin, Chenglong, Meng, Cheng, Yao, Yuan, Xia, Haoming Fire Occurrence, Surface Thermal Properties, Land Surface Temperature, THERMAL ANOMALIES, Reflectance, Fire Ecology, Biomass Burning, Wildfires, Burned Area, Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)
Surface Flux Equilibrium Theory-Derived Evapotranspiration Estimate Thakur, Hitesh, Raghav, Pushpendra, Kumar, Mukesh, Wolkeba, Fitsume Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Reflectance, Anisotropy
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
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)
Spatiotemporal variability in drivers of grassland degradation and Li, Ting, Li, Sha, Li, Pengfei, Huang, Jing, Wang, Juanle, Ochir, Altansukh, Yang, Meihuan, Wang, Tao, Shun Chan, Faith Ka Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Nitrogen Dioxide, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity
Shifting vegetation phenology in protected areas: A response to climate Ontel, Irina, Avram, Sorin, Gheorghe, Carmen Adriana, Niculae, Mihaita Iulian, Pascu, Ionut Silviu, Rodino, Steliana Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Use/Land Cover Classification, 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)
Seasonal and interannual variations of soil heterotrophic respiration and autotrophic respiration in subtropical forests of southeast China: independent process-based ... Yan, Yibo, Wang, Xiujun, Wohlfahrt, Georg, Huang, Ni Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Characteristics, Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity
SeasFire cube-a multivariate dataset for global wildfire modeling Karasante, Ilektra, Alonso, Lazaro, Prapas, Ioannis, Ahuja, Akanksha, Carvalhais, Nuno, Papoutsis, Ioannis Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Carbonaceous Aerosols, Nitrogen Oxides, Particulates, Hydrogen Cyanide, Emissions, Non-methane Hydrocarbons/Volatile Organic Compounds, Particulate Matter, Fire Occurrence, Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Dioxide, Carbon And Hydrocarbon Compounds, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Fire Ecology, Biomass Burning, Wildfires, Population Density, Burned Area
Seasonal agricultural irrigation water deficit in northern China: pattern, trend and causality Li, Xiaojie, Zhang, Yongqiang, Tian, Jing, Zhang, Xuanze, Ma, Ning Reflectance, Albedo, Anisotropy, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Characteristics, Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity
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
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
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
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
Unrecognised water limitation is a main source of uncertainty for models of terrestrial photosynthesis Biegel, Samantha, Schindler, Konrad, Stocker, Benjamin D. Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)
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