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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: 2026-05-15

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
Downscaling GRACE TWSA data into high-resolution groundwater level anomaly using machine learning-based models in a glacial aquifer system Seyoum, Wondwosen, Kwon, Dongjae, Milewski, Adam Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Emissivity, Land Surface Temperature, Total Surface Precipitation Rate
Construction of comprehensive drought monitoring model in Jing-Jin-Ji region based on multisource remote sensing data Yu, Haozhe, Li, Lijuan, Liu, Yang, Li, Jiuyi Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Total Surface Precipitation Rate
Analysis of spatiotemporal variability of C-factor derived from remote sensing data Pechanec, Vilem, Mraz, Alexander, Benc, Antonin, Cudlin, Pavel Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Assessment of the performance of three dynamical climate downscaling methods using different land surface information over China Liu, Peng, Qiu, Xiaobin, Yang, Yi, Ma, Yuanyuan, Jin, Shuanglong Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Influences of environmental changes on water storage variations in Central Asia Hu, Weijie, Liu, Hailong, Bao, Anming, El-Tantawi, Attia M. Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Evapotranspiration, Latent Heat Flux
Hot temperatures during the dry season reduce survival of a resident tropical bird Woodworth, Bradley K., Norris, D. Ryan, Graham, Brendan A., Kahn, Zachary A., Mennill, Daniel J. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Dynamic ecological observations from satellites inform aerobiology of allergenic grass pollen Devadas, Rakhesh, Huete, Alfredo R., Vicendese, Don, Erbas, Bircan, Beggs, Paul J., Medek, Danielle, Haberle, Simon G., Newnham, Rewi M., Johnston, Fay H., Jaggard, Alison K., Campbell, Bradley, Burton, Pamela K., Katelaris, Constance H., Newbigin, Ed, Thibaudon, Michel, Davies, Janet M. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Cross-Scale Correlation between In Situ Measurements of Canopy Gap Cuba, Nicholas, Rogan, John, Lawrence, Deborah, Williams, Christopher Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Climate change and its impact on drought in Eastern Gansu rainfed agricultural area in Northwest China in the last thirty years Guo, Ni, Lu, Yaling, Li, Yiping, Sha, Sha, Wei, Wang, Cheng, Ying, Zheng, Jie Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Sparse regression interaction models for spatial prediction of soil Pejovic, Milutin, Nikolic, Mladen, Heuvelink, Gerard B.M., Hengl, Tomislav, Kilibarda, Milan, Bajat, Branislav Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Sensitivity and resilience of ecosystems to climate variability in the semi-arid to hyper-arid areas of Northern China: a case study in the Heihe River Basin You, Nanshan, Meng, Jijun, Zhu, Likai Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Evapotranspiration, Latent Heat Flux
Temporal and spatial variations in sand and dust storm events in East Asia from 2007 to 2016: Relationships with surface conditions and climate change An, Linchang, Che, Huizheng, Xue, Min, Zhang, Tianhang, Wang, Hong, Wang, Yaqiang, Zhou, Chunhong, Zhao, Hujia, Gui, Ke, Zheng, Yu, Sun, Tianze, Liang, Yuanxin, Sun, Enwei, Zhang, Hengde, Zhang, Xiaoye Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
The effect of rainfall on population dynamics in Sahara-Sahel rodents Barros, Margarida Isabel, Brito, Jose Carlos, Campos, Joao Carlos, Mappes, Tapio, Qninba, Abdeljebbar, Sousa, Fabio Vieira, Boratynski, Zbyszek Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
A satellite-derived climatological analysis of urban heat island over Shanghai during 2000-2013 Huang, Weijiao, Li, Jun, Guo, Qiaoying, Mansaray, Lamin, Li, Xinxing, Huang, Jingfeng Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Reflectance, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Assessing the impacts of the 2009/2010 drought on vegetation indices, normalized difference water index, and land surface temperature in southwestern China Zhang, Xiaoqiang, Yamaguchi, Yasushi, Li, Fei, He, Bin, Chen, Yaning Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Reflectance, Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
An improved temperature vegetation dryness index (iTVDI) and its applicability to drought monitoring Yang, Ruo-wen, Wang, Hai, Hu, Jin-ming, Cao, Jie, Yang, Yu Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Future changes in summer MODIS-based enhanced vegetation index for the South-Central United States Swain, Sharmistha, Abeysundara, Sachith, Hayhoe, Katharine, Stoner, Anne M.K. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Improved methods for estimating local terrestrial water dynamics from GRACE in the Northern High Plains Seyoum, Wondwosen M., Milewski, Adam M. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Emissivity, Land Surface Temperature
Estimation and prediction of grassland cover in western Mongolia using MODIS-derived vegetation indices Paltsyn, Mikhail Yu., Gibbs, James P., Iegorova, Liza V., Mountrakis, Giorgos Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
On the use of a snow aridity index to predict remotely sensed forest Knowles, John F., Lestak, Leanne R., Molotch, Noah P. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Modelling spatio-temporally resolved air temperature across the complex geo-climate area of France using satellite-derived land surface temperature data Kloog, Itai, Nordio, Francesco, Lepeule, Johanna, Padoan, Andrea, Lee, Mihye, Auffray, Annick, Schwartz, Joel Terrain Elevation, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM), Topographical Relief Maps, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity
Winter wheat yield prediction using normalized difference vegetative index and agroclimatic parameters in Oklahoma Zhang, Ning, Zhao, Chen, Quiring, Steven M., Li, Jinlin Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), 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
Relative importance of climate factors and human activities in impacting vegetation dynamics during 2000-2015 in the Otindag Sandy Land, northern China Ma, Wenyong, Wang, Xunming, Zhou, Na, Jiao, Linlin Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 Solomos, Stavros, Ansmann, Albert, Mamouri, Rodanthi-Elisavet, Binietoglou, Ioannis, Patlakas, Platon, Marinou, Eleni, Amiridis, Vassilis Reflectance, Anisotropy, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Residential greenness and allergic respiratory diseases in children and adolescentsa systematic review and meta-analysis Lambert, K.A., Bowatte, G., Tham, R., Lodge, C., Prendergast, L., Heinrich, J., Abramson, M.J., Dharmage, S.C., Erbas, B. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
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