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Description

The MYD15A2H Version 6.1 Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) combined Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) product is an 8-day composite dataset with 500 meter (m) pixel size. The algorithm chooses the "best" pixel available from all the acquisitions of the Aqua sensor 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 nanometers (nm)) absorbed by the green elements of a vegetation canopy.

Science Datasets (SDS) in the Level 4 (L4) MYD15A2H product include LAI, FPAR, two quality layers, and standard deviation for LAI and FPAR. Two low resolution browse images, LAI and FPAR, are also available for each MYD15A2H granule.

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
Aqua
Instruments
MODIS
Projects
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
C2565794061-LPCLOUD
Data State
ACTIVE
Number of Files/Granules
316457
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. (2021). MODIS/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/MYD15A2H.061 Date Accessed: 2026-06-16

File Naming Convention

MYD15A2H.A2025209.h16v07.061.2025218035513.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MYD15A2H) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2025209), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h16v07), the Version of the data collection (061), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2025218035513), 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
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
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
Elevation Correction of Forest Biogeophysical Cooling Effect in China Bai, Tingting, Song, Yongze, Li, Tong, Zheng, Jinxiu, Zhu, Kai Evapotranspiration, Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Latent Heat Flux, Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity, Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Albedo, Anisotropy
Differentiating the impacts of natural growth and artificial restoration of vegetation on water use efficiency in the Yellow River basin Luan, Jinkai, Ma, Ning, Wu, Jiefeng, Zhang, Ran Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Terrain Elevation, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM), Topographical Relief Maps, Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Ecohydrological Land Reanalysis: Vegetation Water Content and Soil Sawada, Yohei, Fujii, Hideyuki, Tsutsui, Hiroyuki, Aida, Kentaro, Shimada, Rigen, Kachi, Misako, Koike, Toshio Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Carbon, Nitrogen, Soil Water Holding Capacity, Soil Bulk Density, Soil Chemistry, Soil Classification, Soil Moisture/Water Content, Soil Horizons/Profile
Ecological impacts of climate change on Peruvian Andean ecosystems Zarria Samanamud, Melody R, Boone, Randall B, Bowser, Gillian, Havrilla, Caroline A, Klein, Julia A, Young, Kenneth R Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Effect of Forest Management Practices on Water Balance Across a Casirati, Stefano, Conklin, Martha H., Nandi, Saswata, Safeeq, Mohammad Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Ecological problem identification based on spatial and temporal dynamics Zhang, Rui, Liu, Huamin, Xu, Zhichao, Zhao, Xinchuan, Wen, Lu, Zhuo, Yi, Wang, Lixin 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)
Economic valuation of subsurface water contributions to watershed ecosystem services using a fully integrated groundwatersurface-water model Aziz, Tariq, Frey, Steven K., Lapen, David R., Preston, Susan, Russell, Hazen A. J., Khader, Omar, Erler, Andre R., Sudicky, Edward A. Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Crop productivity under heat stress: a structural analysis of light use Lai, Peiyu, Marshall, Michael, Darvishzadeh, Roshanak, Nelson, Andrew Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Evaluating Richards Equation and Infiltration Capacity Approaches in Kholis, A., Kalbacher, T., Rakovec, O., Boeing, F., Cuntz, M., Samaniego, L. Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar)
Comparative analysis of land-atmosphere interactions across three Hingerl, Luitpold, Bliefernicht, Jan, Guug, Samuel, Sy, Souleymane, Neidl, Frank, Jagdhuber, Thomas, Kunstmann, Harald Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Estimation of irrigation water use in arid areas by leveraging the Liu, Zhiying, Shi, Liangsheng, He, Leilei, Shen, Jiawen, Xu, Haolin, Zhang, Shengwei, Liu, Tingxi, Hu, Xiaolong, Xu, Hongwei, Zha, Yuanyuan Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Habitat Loss and Other Threats to the Survival of Parnassius Stojanovic, Dejan V., Visacki, Vladimir, Ranelovic, Dragana, Ivetic, Jelena, Orlovic, Sasa Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity, Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity
How does the mixing assumption influence the distributed tracer-aided Nan, Yi, Tian, Fuqiang, Li, Zongxing 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)
Enhancing the Stability of Hydrological Modelling through Multivariable Calibration Schemes Using the Satellite-Based Soil Moisture and Evapotranspiration Kumar, Shashi Bhushan, Mishra, Ashok Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Estimating GPP in China using different site-level datasets, vegetation classification and vegetation indices Xu, Jiahui, Chen, Tiexi, Chen, Xin, Zhou, Shengjie, Gu, Zhe, Li, Wenhui, Cui, Yingying, Wang, Shengzhen, Liu, Shuci Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Characteristics, Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Reflectance, Albedo, Anisotropy, Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Forest Carbon Modeling Improved Through Hierarchical Assimilation of Zhou, Yu, Williams, Christopher A. Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Canopy Characteristics, Evergreen Vegetation, Crown, Deciduous Vegetation, Vegetation Cover, Land Use/Land Cover Classification
From MODIS to Sentinel-2: A Regional Comparative Analysis of Crop-Yield Adriko, Kennedy, Sedona, Rocco, Seguini, Lorenzo, Riedel, Morris, Cavallaro, Gabriele, Paris, Claudia Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity
Global vegetation production may decrease in this century due to rising atmospheric dryness Lin, Shangrong, Chen, Xiuzhi, Xia, Jiangzhou, Xin, Qinchuan, Fu, Zheng, He, Bin, Liu, Qinhuo, Piao, Shilong, Yuan, Wenping Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Combining Observations and Models: A Review of the CARDAMOM Framework Worden, Matthew A., Bilir, T. Eren, Bloom, A. Anthony, Fang, Jianing, Klinek, Lily P., Konings, Alexandra G., Levine, Paul A., Milodowski, David T., Quetin, Gregory R., Smallman, T. Luke, BarOn, Yinon M., Braghiere, Renato K., David, Cedric H., Fischer, Nina A., Gentine, Pierre, Green, Tim J., Jones, Ayanna, Liu, Junjie, Longo, Marcos, Ma, Shuang, Magney, Troy S., Massoud, Elias C., Myrgiotis, Vasileios, Norton, Alexander J., Parazoo, Nick, Tajfar, Elahe, Trugman, Anna T., Williams, Mathew, Worden, Sarah, Zhao, Wenli, Zhu, Songyan Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Terrestrial Ecosystems, LIDAR WAVEFORM, Biomass
Co-benefit of forestation on ozone air quality and carbon storage in South China Liu, Zehui, Zhou, Mi, Li, Danyang, Song, Tao, Yue, Xu, Lu, Xiao, Zhao, Yuanhong, Zhang, Lin 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), Land Use/Land Cover Classification
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
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
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
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