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Full catalog/ABoVE_MODIS_MAIAC_Reflectance_1858
ABoVE_MODIS_MAIAC_Reflectance_1858·v1·dataset

Angle-corrected surface color, Alaska and Canada (2000-2017)

ABoVE: Angular-corrected MODIS MAIAC Reflectance across Alaska and Canada, 2000-2017
land NASA ORNL_CLOUD Level 3 HDF4
In plain English

What it measures. Surface color (reflectance) across Alaska and western Canada from 2000 to 2017, adjusted so every image looks as if it were taken from the same viewing and sun angle, removing distortions that come from the changing geometry.

How it's made. Created by taking existing MODIS surface-color data (from Terra and Aqua) and running it through a machine-learning correction to standardize the angles, while keeping its original detail and timing.

How & where you'd use it. Good for long-term studies of how northern landscapes change, since the angle correction makes year-to-year comparisons cleaner and more reliable.

What's measured

LAND SURFACE › SURFACE RADIATIVE PROPERTIES › REFLECTANCECLIMATE INDICATORS › LAND SURFACE/AGRICULTURE INDICATORS › VEGETATION COVERBIOSPHERE › VEGETATION › VEGETATION COVER

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span2000-02-24 → 2017-12-31
  • Measured byTerra (MODIS) · Aqua (MODIS)
  • Processing levelLevel 3
  • Spatial extent-180, 44.1164, 180, 80.8064
  • FormatsHDF4
  • StatusCOMPLETE

What you can do with it

  • Track deforestation, fire scars and land-cover change
  • Monitor crop and vegetation health (NDVI/EVI)
  • Map how built-up vs. green an area is over time
Official description

This dataset provides angular corrections of MODIS Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction algorithm (MAIAC) surface reflectances across the ABoVE domain in Alaska and western Canada from 2000 to 2017. Using random forests (RF), a machine-learning approach, the original MAIAC reflectance data were corrected to consistent view and illumination angles (0 degree view zenith angle and 45 degree of sun zenith angle) to reduce artifacts and variability due to angular effects. The original MAIAC data's sub-daily temporal resolution and 1 km spatial resolution with seven land bands (bands 1-7) and five ocean bands (bands 8-12) were preserved. The resulting surface reflectance data are suitable for long-term studies on patterns, processes, and dynamics of surface phenomena. The data cover 11 different Terra and Aqua satellite MODIS MAIAC tiles.

Get the data

above_modis_maiac_reflectance_1858_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="ABoVE_MODIS_MAIAC_Reflectance_1858",
    version="1",
    bounding_box=(-122.5, 37.2, -121.8, 37.9),  # your area (W,S,E,N)
    temporal=("2024-01-01", "2024-12-31"),       # your dates
)
files = earthaccess.open(results)   # stream straight from ORNL_CLOUD
Browsing CMR needs no login. Downloading or streaming bytes needs a free Earthdata Login + the earthaccess package.