Earth Data School
About
Full catalog/MCD43D08
MCD43D08·v061·dataset

How much sunlight the land reflects, blue band (Terra+Aqua, daily)

MODIS/Terra+Aqua BRDF/Albedo Parameter2 Band3 Daily L3 Global 30ArcSec CMG V061
land NASA LPCLOUD Level 3 active HDF-EOS2
In plain English

What it measures. One of the behind-the-scenes mathematical ingredients (the 'volumetric' parameter) used to describe how the land reflects blue light at different angles. On its own it isn't a finished reflectance value but a building block for one.

How it's made. Produced daily from 16 days of combined Terra and Aqua MODIS data on a roughly 1-km global grid, with each parameter stored in its own file.

How & where you'd use it. A low-level input that, combined with two companion parameters, lets scientists compute land reflectance and albedo; most people use the finished products rather than this piece directly.

What's measured

LAND SURFACE › SURFACE RADIATIVE PROPERTIES › ALBEDOLAND SURFACE › SURFACE RADIATIVE PROPERTIES › ANISOTROPYLAND SURFACE › SURFACE RADIATIVE PROPERTIES › REFLECTANCE

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span2000-02-16 → ongoing
  • Measured byTerra (MODIS) · Aqua (MODIS)
  • Processing levelLevel 3
  • Spatial extent-180, -90, 180, 90
  • FormatsHDF-EOS2
  • StatusACTIVE

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

The MCD43D08 Version 6.1 Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function and Albedo (BRDF/Albedo) Model Parameter dataset is produced daily using 16 days of Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data at 30 arc second (1,000 meter) resolution. Data are temporally weighted to the ninth day which is reflected in the Julian date in the file name. This Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) product covers the entire globe for use in climate simulation models. Due to the large file size, each MCD43D product contains just one data layer. Each of the three model parameters (isotropic, volumetric, and geometric) for each of the MODIS bands 1 through 7 and the visible, near-infrared (NIR), and shortwave bands included in [MCD43C1](https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD43C1.061) are stored in a separate file as MCD43D01 through MCD43D30. Users are urged to use the band specific quality flags to isolate the highest quality full inversion results for their own science applications as described in the [User Guide](https://www.umb.edu/spectralmass/modis-user-guide-v006-and-v0061/mcd43d-cmg-30-arc-second-products/). MCD43D08 is the BRDF volumetric parameter for MODIS band 3. The volumetric parameter, in conjunction with the isotropic and geometric parameters, is used to derive the BRDF/Albedo values for MODIS band 3. Known Issues * For complete information about known issues please refer to the [MODIS/VIIRS Land Quality Assessment website](https://landweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/knownissue?sensor=MODIS&sat=TerraAqua&as=61).

Get the data

mcd43d08_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="MCD43D08",
    version="061",
    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 LPCLOUD
Browsing CMR needs no login. Downloading or streaming bytes needs a free Earthdata Login + the earthaccess package.