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Description

The Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Vegetation Indices (MOD13Q1) Version 6.1 data are generated every 16 days at 250 meter (m) spatial resolution as a Level 3 product. The MOD13Q1 product provides two primary vegetation layers. The first is the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) which is referred to as the continuity index to the existing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (NOAA-AVHRR) derived NDVI. The second vegetation layer is the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), which has improved sensitivity over high biomass regions. The algorithm chooses the best available pixel value from all the acquisitions from the 16 day period. The criteria used is low clouds, low view angle, and the highest NDVI/EVI value.

Along with the vegetation layers and the two quality layers, the HDF file will have MODIS reflectance bands 1 (red), 2 (near-infrared), 3 (blue), and 7 (mid-infrared), as well as four observation layers.

Known Issues

Version Description

The following changes and improvements were implemented for inputs to MODIS Version 6.1 vegetation indices 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
Instruments
MODIS
Projects
TERRA
Spatial Extent

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

Spatial Resolution
250 Meters x 250 Meters
Spatial Reference System(s)
MODIS Sinusoidal Tiling System
Location
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
2000-02-18 to Present
Temporal Resolution
16 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
C1748066515-LPCLOUD
Data State
ACTIVE
Number of Files/Granules
177482
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. (2021). MODIS/Terra Vegetation Indices 16-Day L3 Global 250m SIN Grid V061 [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD13Q1.061 Date Accessed: 2026-08-23

File Naming Convention

MOD13Q1.A2025193.h31v08.061.2025209132825.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MOD13Q1) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2025193), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h31v08), the Version of the data collection (061), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2025209132825), 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
Dwarf mongooses pre-emptively alter their behaviour relative to the threat posed by different rival groups Arbon, Josh J., Morris-Drake, Amy, Kern, Julie M., Radford, Andrew N. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Dynamics of oases in East Asia in the 21st century: Insights from China Zhu, Huixin, Li, Junran, Xiao, Huijie, Pan, Qidi, Xin, Zhiming, Wang, Shuai Terrain Elevation, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM), Topographical Relief Maps, Evapotranspiration, Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Latent Heat Flux, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), RADAR IMAGERY
Spatial variability, key covariates, and scenario-based responses of soil organic carbon in a subtropical karst region Xingfu, Wang, Yongcheng, Jiang, Zhenming, Zhang, Chao, Yan Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Spatially validated assessment of seismic hazard-prone environments in Ning, Junjie, Sun, Zhenhui, Wang, Yufan, Xu, Ying, Zhang, Chen Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Vegetation Stress in the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve under Climate Change (20102025) Klymenko, K., Boychenko, S. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Tracking Seasonal Transitions Using a Meteorological Seasonality Index Lalic, Branislava, Firanj Sremac, Ana Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Plant Characteristics, Plant Phenology, Vegetation Cover
Projections of Meteorological Drought and Potential Evapotranspiration Salehnia, Nasrin, Wolter, Peter T., Chikabvumbwa, Sylvester, Hosseini, Fateme, Kolsoumi, Sohrab, Farid, Ali, Zahedipour, Hashem Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Evapotranspiration, Latent Heat Flux
Quantifying land cover sensitivity to desertification in northern Omodu, Uche Spiff, Wang, Yongdong, Ogbue, Chukwuka, Akhtar, Arslan, Fidelis, Gift Donu, Igboeli, Emeka Edwin, Ochege, Friday Uchenna, Fabiola, Bakayisire Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity
Quantitative targets for leopard conservation in sub-Saharan Africa Patowary, Kalpapran, Uzal, Antonio, Fattebert, Julien Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Rainfall variability, vegetation dynamics, and the rainfall-NDVI relationship in the Sahel (1990-2022): A spatio-temporal analysis using CHIRPS and PKU GIMMS ... Gaye, Demba Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Reconstructing flash flood in a data-poor mountainous catchment using radar-derived storm characteristics and hydrological simulation Wang, Yuge, Wang, Xiekang Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Resisting Xylella fastidiosa: xylem anatomical changes in the Sabella, E., Greco, D., Nutricati, E., Frontini, A., De Bellis, L., Vergine, M., Luvisi, A. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Response of coseismic landslide susceptibility to the temporal scales and interactions of deformation and rainfall Zhao, Chengwei, Li, Long, Li, Xuqing, Xu, Chong, Song, Yubin, Ni, Zhizong, Wang, Yubo, Guo, Yuezheng Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Retrieval of Surface Roughness Density Using the Variation of Satellite-derived Index for Dust Emission Simulations in East Asia Wang, Jikang, Hua, Cong, An, Linchang Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Reflectance, Albedo, Anisotropy
Vegetation index reconstruction and suitability evaluation in arid Ren, Yu, Xiao, Shengchun, Peng, Xiaomei, Ding, Aijun, Tian, Quanyan, Wang, Jiakang Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Reflectance
Water availability and functional trait diversity drive temporal Vauthier, Robinson, Martinez-Vilalta, Jordi, Poyatos, Rafael, Valade, Aude, Garcia-Valdes, Raul Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Dynamics-constrained rainfall projection reveals substantial increase in Yang, Long, Zhang, Jinghan, Zhao, Fang, Wright, Daniel, Li, Chao, Yamazaki, Dai, Tan, Xuezhi, Yu, Miao, Wang, Quan J., Tian, Fuqiang Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity
High-resolution net ecosystem productivity modeling reveals spatiotemporal heterogeneity of urban carbon metabolism Wang, Lixing, Liu, Zhu Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity
Hindcasting fine particulate matter in Alaska, US, during wildfire seasons Bredder, Allison, Loboda, Tatiana V., Chen, Dong Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness, Maximum/Minimum Temperature, 24 Hour Precipitation Amount, Snow Water Equivalent, Vapor Pressure, Shortwave Radiation
MULTI-AGENT GEOSPATIAL COPILOTS FOR REMOTE SENSING WORKFLOWS Lee, Chaehong, Paramanayakam, Varatheepan, Karatzas, Andreas, Jian, Yanan, Fore, Michael, Liao, Heming, Yu, Fuxun, Li, Ruopu, Anagnostopoulos, Iraklis, Stamoulis, Dimitrios Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness, Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Reflectance
Terracing can reduce cropland water erosion in China by over 50% at present and under future climate change Cao, Bowen, Yu, Le, Li, Wei, Ciais, Philippe, Panagos, Panos, Borrelli, Pasquale, Naipal, Victoria, Wei, Wei, Jiao, Yuanmei, Xie, Yun, Fu, Bojie, Gong, Peng RADAR IMAGERY, Terrain Elevation, Topographical Relief Maps, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM), Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Territorial aggression and coexistence in hybridizing Montalvo, Luis Daniel, Kimball, Rebecca T., Robinson, Scott K. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
The Coexistence of Trees, Shrubs, and Grasses Creates a Complex Picture Koolen, Stephanie P., Godlee, John L., Alberton, Bruna, Ramos, Desiree Marques, Moura, Magna Soelma Beserra, Morellato, Leonor Patricia C., Dexter, Kyle G. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
The effects of breeding status on common raven movement, home range, and Brockman, Julia C., Coates, Peter S., Tull, John C., Jackson, Pat J., O'Neil, Shawn T., Williams, Perry J. Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
The environmental signal of lake sediments in Mesoamerica: Modern pollen Leon-Carreno, Mauricio, Correa-Metrio, Alex, Ramos-Fabiel, Melbi Alejandro, Escobar, Jaime, Curtis, Jason H, Franco-Gaviria, Felipe, Caballero-Rodriguez, Dayenari, Perez, Liseth, Schwalb, Antje, Meave, Jorge A Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
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