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Full catalog/MCD43D20
MCD43D20·v061·dataset

Land reflectance ingredient 2, shortwave-infrared band (MODIS, daily)

MODIS/Terra+Aqua BRDF/Albedo Parameter2 Band7 Daily L3 Global 30ArcSec CMG V061
land NASA LPCLOUD Level 3 active HDF-EOS2
In plain English

What it measures. This holds one mathematical ingredient (the 'volumetric' parameter for MODIS band 7, a shortwave-infrared band) used to describe how a patch of land reflects light differently depending on the angle of the sun and the viewing angle. On its own it isn't a picture; it's one of three numbers that together let you calculate reflectance and surface brightness.

How it's made. It's a derived, gridded product built daily from 16 days of combined Terra and Aqua MODIS observations, spread across the whole globe at roughly 1-kilometer resolution.

How & where you'd use it. This is a building-block input for climate models and for working out land surface albedo (how much sunlight the ground bounces back); most people would use it through higher-level combined products rather than this single-layer file 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 MCD43D20 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/). MCD43D20 is the BRDF volumetric parameter for MODIS band 7. The volumetric parameter, in conjunction with the isotropic and geometric parameters, is used to derive the BRDF/Albedo values for MODIS band 7. 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

mcd43d20_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="MCD43D20",
    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.