An overview of MODIS Land data processing and product status

Abstract

Data from the first Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on the NASA Terra Platform are being used to provide a new generation of land data products in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Earth Science Enterprise, global change research and natural resource management. The MODIS products include global data sets heretofore unavailable, derived from new moderate resolution spectral bands with spatial resolutions of 250 m to 1 km. A partnership between Science Team members and the MODIS Science Data Support Team is producing data sets of unprecedented volume and number for the land research and applications. This overview paper provides a summary of the instrument performance and status, the data production system, the products, their status and availability for land studies.