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Full catalog/AER_DBDT_D10KM_L3_MODIS_TERRA
AER_DBDT_D10KM_L3_MODIS_TERRA·v001·dataset

Haze, dust and smoke in the air, daily (Terra, 0.1 deg)

TERRA MODIS High Resolution Level 3 daily aerosol data, 0.1x0.1 degree grid Version 001 (AER_DBDT_D10KM_L3_MODIS_TERRA) at GES DISC
atmosphere NASA GES_DISC Level 3 active
In plain English

What it measures. How hazy the air is from tiny airborne particles such as dust, smoke, and pollution (aerosol optical depth), mapped daily across the globe at a fine 0.1-degree grid, with options to use different retrieval methods.

How it's made. Built by combining two MODIS aerosol algorithms (Deep Blue and Dark Target) using observations from the Terra satellite, keeping only the highest-quality pixels and averaging them onto the grid.

How & where you'd use it. Useful for tracking air pollution, dust storms, and wildfire smoke day to day, and for studying how airborne particles affect health, visibility, and climate.

What's measured

ATMOSPHERE › AEROSOLS › AEROSOL OPTICAL DEPTH/THICKNESS

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span2000-02-24 → ongoing
  • Measured byTerra (MODIS)
  • Processing levelLevel 3
  • Spatial extent-179.95, -89.95, 179.95, 89.95
  • StatusACTIVE

What you can do with it

  • Map air pollutants — NO₂, aerosols, ozone
  • Track greenhouse gases and Earth's energy budget
  • Feed weather and air-quality analysis
Official description

This High-Resolution (0.1 x 0.1 degree) Level 3 daily Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) product is generated by combining two Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) operational algorithms, namely Deep Blue (DB) and Dark Target (DT), on board the TERRA satellite. This dataset is provided in daily files ranging from 2000-02-24 to the present. The spatial coverage is global and the dataset is gridded at 0.1 x 0.1 degree spatial resolution. The data are generated using Level 2 AOD retrieved using DT and DB algorithms. The product provides multiple options for using data either from DT or DB or combined. Depending on user need and application, they can choose one or more relevant parameter. The pixels with highest quality as recommended by science teams are only considered in these averaging. In addition to averaged AOD at 0.1 x 0.1 degree resolution, standard deviation and number of pixels averaged from each algorithm are also provided. Average sensor zenith angle is also provided for additional filtering of the data. If you have any questions, please read the README document first and post your question to the NASA Earthdata Forum (forum.earthdata.nasa.gov) or email the GES DISC Help Desk (gsfc-dl-help-disc@mail.nasa.gov).

Get the data

aer_dbdt_d10km_l3_modis_terra_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="AER_DBDT_D10KM_L3_MODIS_TERRA",
    version="001",
    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 GES_DISC
Browsing CMR needs no login. Downloading or streaming bytes needs a free Earthdata Login + the earthaccess package.