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Full catalog/MCD43D21
MCD43D21·v061·dataset

How much sunlight the land reflects, model inputs (MODIS, band 7)

MODIS/Terra+Aqua BRDF/Albedo Parameter3 Band7 Daily L3 Global 30ArcSec CMG V061
land NASA LPCLOUD Level 3 active HDF-EOS2
In plain English

What it measures. Holds one technical ingredient — the 'geometric' shape parameter for one infrared band (band 7) — used to describe how land reflectance changes with viewing and sun angle.

How it's made. Produced daily from 16 days of MODIS data on the Terra and Aqua satellites, gridded at about 1 km on a climate grid, with each file holding a single data layer.

How & where you'd use it. A specialist input rather than a finished map: combined with the other model parameters it lets researchers compute land reflectance and albedo for climate models.

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 MCD43D21 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/). MCD43D21 is the BRDF geometric parameter for MODIS band 7. The geometric parameter, in conjunction with the isotropic and volumetric 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

mcd43d21_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="MCD43D21",
    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.