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Description

The MOD13A3 Version 6 data product was decommissioned on July 31, 2023. Users are encouraged to use the MOD13A3 Version 6.1 data product.

The Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Vegetation Indices (MOD13A3) Version 6 data are provided monthly at 1 kilometer (km) spatial resolution as a gridded Level 3 product in the sinusoidal projection. In generating this monthly product, the algorithm ingests all the MOD13A2 products that overlap the month and employs a weighted temporal average.

The MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) complements NOAA's Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) NDVI products and provides continuity for time series historical applications. MODIS also includes an Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) that minimizes canopy background variations and maintains sensitivity over dense vegetation conditions. The EVI uses the blue band to remove residual atmosphere contamination caused by smoke and sub-pixel thin clouds. The MODIS NDVI and EVI products are computed from surface reflectances corrected for molecular scattering, ozone absorption, and aerosols.

Vegetation indices are used for global monitoring of vegetation conditions and are used in products displaying land cover and land cover changes. These data may be used as input for modeling global biogeochemical and hydrologic processes as well as global and regional climate. Additional applications include characterizing land surface biophysical properties and processes, such as primary production and land cover conversion.

Provided along with the vegetation layers and the two quality assurance (QA) layers are reflectance bands 1 (red), 2 (near-infrared), 3 (blue), and 7 (mid-infrared), as well as three observation layers.

Known Issues

  • The incorrect representation of the aerosol quantities (low, average, high) in the Collection 6 MOD09 surface reflectance products may have impacted MOD13 Vegetation Index data products particularly over arid bright surfaces.
  • Corrections were implemented in Collection 6.1 reprocessing.
  • For complete information about known issues please refer to the MODIS/VIIRS Land Quality Assessment website.

Version Description

The following changes and improvements were implemented for inputs to MODIS Version 6 vegetation index data products: (1) The 16-day composite VI is generated using the two 8-day composite surface reflectance granules (MOD09A1) in the 16-day period, (2) This surface reflectance input is based on the minimum blue compositing approach used to generate the 8-day surface reflectance product, (3) The product format is consistent with the Version 5 product generated using the Level 2 gridded daily surface reflectance product, and (4) A frequently updated long-term global Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) Average Vegetation Index product database is used to fill the gaps in the CMG product suite.

Product Summary

Platforms
Terra
Instruments
MODIS
Spatial Extent

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

Spatial Resolution
1000 Meters x 1000 Meters
Spatial Reference System(s)
MODIS Sinusoidal Tiling System
Location
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
2000-02-01 to 2023-01-31
Temporal Resolution
1 Month
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
C2763297270-LPCLOUD
Data State
DEPRECATED
Number of Files/Granules
0
Processing Level
3
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Vegetation Index ,
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) ,
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.

Copy Citation

Didan, K. (2015). MOD13A3 MODIS/Terra vegetation Indices Monthly L3 Global 1km SIN Grid V006 [Data set]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD13A3.006 Date Accessed: 2026-05-19

File Naming Convention

MOD13A3.A2002244.h00v10.006.2015151082733.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MOD13A3) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2002244), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h00v10), the Version of the data collection (006), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2015151082733), and the Data Format (hdf).

Documents

Publications Citing This Dataset

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Title Year Author Topic
Agroforestry land suitability analysis in the Eastern Indian Himalayan region Nath, Arun Jyoti, Kumar, Rakesh, Devi, N. Bijayalaxmi, Rocky, Pebam, Giri, Krishna, Sahoo, Uttam Kumar, Bajpai, Raj Kumar, Sahu, Netrananda, Pandey, Rajiv Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Adaptive Determination of the Flow Accumulation Threshold for Extracting Drainage Networks from DEMs Zhang, Wei, Li, Wenkai, Loaiciga, Hugo A., Liu, Xiuguo, Liu, Shuya, Zheng, Shengjie, Zhang, Han 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, Terrain Elevation, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM), Topographical Relief Maps, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Precipitation, Precipitation Amount
Analysing the day/night seasonal and annual changes and trends in land surface temperature and surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) for Indian cities Siddiqui, Asfa, Kushwaha, Gautami, Nikam, Bhaskar, Srivastav, S.K., Shelar, Ankita, Kumar, Pramod Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
An improved index for urban population distribution mapping based on nighttime lights (DMSP-OLS) data: An experiment in Riyadh province, Saudi Arabia Alahmadi, Mohammed, Mansour, Shawky, Martin, David, Atkinson, Peter M. Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
A saturated light correction method for DMSP-OLS nighttime stable light data by remote and social sensing data Huang, Xiaolei, Shi, Kaifang, Cui, Yuanzheng, Li, Yuanqing Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
A spatiotemporal reconstruction of daily ambient temperature using satellite data in the Megalopolis of Central Mexico from 2003 to 2019 GutierrezAvila, Ivan, Arfer, Kodi B., Wong, Sandy, Rush, Johnathan, Kloog, Itai, Just, Allan C. Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
A phytolith supported biosphere-hydrosphere predictive model for Southern Ethiopia: Insights into paleoenvironmental changes and human landscape preferences since the last glacial maximum Fischer, Markus L., Bachofer, Felix, Yost, Chad L., Bludau, Ines J. E., Schepers, Christian, Foerster, Verena, Lamb, Henry, Schabitz, Frank, Asrat, Asfawossen, Trauth, Martin H., Junginger, Annett Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Canopy Characteristics, Evergreen Vegetation, Crown, Deciduous Vegetation, Leaf Characteristics, Vegetation Cover, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Precipitation, Precipitation Amount, Precipitation Rate, Snow, Rain
Analysis of Factors Influencing the Lake Area on the Tibetan Plateau Xiong, Zhexin, Chen, Yumin, Tan, Huangyuan, Cheng, Qishan, Zhou, Annan Reflectance, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), 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
Factors affecting urban electricity consumptiona case study in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area using an integrated approach of earth observation data and data analysis Nguyen, Can Trong, Nguyen, Diep Thi Hong, Phan, Diem Kieu Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity
High order singular value decomposition for plant diversity estimation Bernardi, Alessandra, Iannacito, Martina, Rocchini, Duccio Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Assessment of land degradation vulnerability using geospatial technique: A case study of Kachchh District of Gujarat, India Parmar, Manish, Bhawsar, Zalak, Kotecha, Mit, Shukla, Alpana, Rajawat, A. S. Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Burden is in the eye of the beholderSensitivity of yellow fever disease burden estimates to modeling assumptions Perkins, T. Alex, Huber, John H., Tran, Quan M., Oidtman, Rachel J., Walters, Magdalene K., Siraj, Amir S., Moore, Sean M. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Can we use precipitation isotope outputs of isotopic general circulation models to improve hydrological modeling in large mountainous catchments on the ... Nan, Yi, He, Zhihua, Tian, Fuqiang, Wei, Zhongwang, Tian, Lide Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Attribution of growing season evapotranspiration variability considering snowmelt and vegetation changes in the arid alpine basins Ning, Tingting, Li, Zhi, Feng, Qi, Li, Zongxing, Qin, Yanyan Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Assessing urban-rural climate resilience of metropolitan Yangon, Myanmar Pang, Pearlyn, Guo, Zhou, Wang, YiChen Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Total Surface Precipitation Rate
Assessing urbanization's contribution to warming in mainland China using satellite-estimated air temperature data Yao, Rui, Wang, Lunche, Huang, Xin, Wu, Xiaojun, Yang, Liu, Niu, Zigeng Terrain Elevation, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM), Topographical Relief Maps, Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Assessing the response of vegetation change to drought during 2009-2018 in Yunnan Province, China Yu, Yuanhe, Shen, Yuzhen, Wang, Jinliang, Wei, Yuchun, Nong, Lanping, Deng, Huan Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity, Total Surface Precipitation Rate
Comprehensive drought monitoring in Yunnan Province, China using multisource remote sensing data Wang, Jin-liang, Yu, Yuan-he Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Total Surface Precipitation Rate
Spatiotemporal dynamics and exposure analysis of daily PM2.5 using a remote sensing-based machine learning model and multi-time meteorological parameters Chen, Binjie, Lin, Yi, Deng, Jinsong, Li, Zheyu, Dong, Li, Huang, Yibo, Wang, Ke Terrain Elevation, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM), Topographical Relief Maps, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Spatial and temporal changes in vegetation in the Ruoergai Region, China Guo, Yahui, Zeng, Jing, Wu, Wenxiang, Hu, Shunqiang, Liu, Guangxu, Wu, Linsheng, Bryant, Christopher Robin Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Statistical estimation of next-day nighttime surface urban heat islands Lai, Jiameng, Zhan, Wenfeng, Quan, Jinling, Bechtel, Benjamin, Wang, Kaicun, Zhou, Ji, Huang, Fan, Chakraborty, Tirthankar, Liu, Zihan, Lee, Xuhui Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Albedo, Anisotropy, Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Simulation of vegetation cover based on the theory of ecohydrological optimality in the yongding river watershed, China Zhang, Yixuan, Zhao, Tingning, Shi, Changqing, Ma, Qiang Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Evapotranspiration, Latent Heat Flux
Spatial patterns of lower respiratory tract infections and their association with fine particulate matter Asri, Aji Kusumaning, Pan, Wen-Chi, Lee, Hsiao-Yun, Su, Huey-Jen, Wu, Chih-Da, Spengler, John D. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of net primary productivity and response to Wang, Yahui, Dai, Erfu, Wu, Chunsheng Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity
Spatiotemporal patterns and driving forces of remotely sensed urban agglomeration heat islands in South China Geng, Shoubao, Yang, Long, Sun, Zhongyu, Wang, Zhihui, Qian, Junxi, Jiang, Chong, Wen, Meili Terrain Elevation, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM), Topographical Relief Maps, Canopy Characteristics, Evergreen Vegetation, Crown, Deciduous Vegetation, Leaf Characteristics, Vegetation Cover, Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Albedo, Anisotropy, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity
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