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MODIS Instrument

MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths. These data will improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the oceans, and in the atmosphere. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of validated, global, interactive Earth system models able to monitor and predict global changes.

 

 

MODIS Instrument Specifications:

  • Orbit: 705 km, 10:30 a.m. descending node (Terra); 1:30 p.m. ascending node (Aqua), sun-synchronous, near-polar, circular
  • Scan Rate: 20.3 rpm, cross track
  • Swath Dimensions: 2330 km (cross track) by 10 km (along track at nadir)
  • Spatial Resolution: 250 m (bands 1-2), 500 m (bands 3-7), 1000 m (bands 8-36) 

 

MODIS Spectral Bands:

Primary Use Band Bandwidth1 Spectral Radiance2 Required SNR3
Land Boundaries
Cloud Boundaries
Aerosols Boundaries
1 620 - 670 nm 21.8 128
2 841 - 876 nm 24.7 201
Land Properties
Cloud Properties
Aerosols Properties
3 459 - 479 nm 35.3 243
4 545 - 565 nm 29.0 228
5 1230 - 1250 nm 5.4 74
6 1628 - 1652 nm 7.3 275
7 2105 - 2155 nm 1.0 110
Ocean Color
Phytoplankton
Biogeochemistry 
8 405 - 420 nm 44.9 880
9 438 - 448 nm 41.9 838
10 483 - 493 nm 32.1 802
11 526 - 536 nm 27.9 754
12 546 - 556 nm 21.0 750
13 662 - 672 nm  9.5 910
14 673 - 683 nm 8.7 1087
15 743 - 753 nm 10.2 586
16 862 - 877 nm 6.2 516
Atmospheric Water Vapor 17 890 - 920 nm 10.0 167
18 931 - 941 nm 3.6 57
19 915 - 965 nm 15.0 250

Primary Use Band Bandwidth1 Spectral
Radiance2
Required
NE[Δ]T(K)4
Surface Temperature
Cloud Temperature 
20 3.660 - 3.840 µm 0.45(300K) 0.05
21 3.929 - 3.989 µm 2.38(335K) 2.00
22 3.929 - 3.989 µm 0.67(300K) 0.07
23 4.020 - 4.080 µm 0.79(300K) 0.07
Atmospheric Temperature 24 4.433 - 4.498 µm 0.17(250K) 0.25
25 4.482 - 4.549 µm 0.59(275K) 0.25
Cirrus Clouds
Water Vapor
26 1.360 - 1.390 µm 6.00 150(SNR)
27 6.535 - 6.895 µm 1.16(240K) 0.25
28 7.175 - 7.475 µm 2.18(250K) 0.25
Cloud Properties 29 8.400 - 8.700 µm 9.58(300K) 0.05
Ozone 30 9.580 - 9.880 µm 3.69(250K) 0.25
Surface Temperature
Cloud Temperature 
31 10.780 - 11.280 µm 9.55(300K) 0.05
32 11.770 - 12.270 µm 8.94(300K) 0.05
Cloud Top Height 33 13.185 - 13.485 µm 4.52(260K) 0.25
34 13.485 - 13.785 µm 3.76(250K) 0.25
35 13.785 - 14.085 µm 3.11(240K) 0.25
36 14.085 - 14.385 µm 2.08(220K) 0.35

1 Bands 1 to 19 are in nm; Bands 20 to 36 are in µm
2 Spectral Radiance values are (W/m2 -µm-sr)
3 SNR = Signal-to-noise ratio
4 NE(Δ)T = Noise-equivalent temperature difference 

 

Spectrum:

In the MODIS spectral band (or spectral wavelength) table above, the bandwidth (column 3) for bands 1 through 19 are shown in nm (nanometers), while bands 20 through 36 are shown in µm (micrometers or microns).  Note that µm can be converted to nm by multiplying by 1000; so the value 5.0 µm (which is roughly around band 25) is the same as 5000 nm, which is in the infrared (IR) portion of the spectrum.  The spectrum of visible light goes from about 380 nm (indigo or deep purple) to 720 nm (maroon or deep red). The green band runs from about 520 to 580 nm.