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Documentation

Key MODIS Scientific Publications

  Aerosol (Dark Target)

  • Levy, R. C., Munchak, L. A., Mattoo, S., Patadia, F., Remer, L. A., & Holz, R. E., 2015:  Towards a long-term global aerosol optical depth record: applying a consistent aerosol retrieval algorithm to MODIS and VIIRS-observed reflectance. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 8, 4083–4110. doi:10.5194/amt-8-4083-2015.  View PDF
  • Sayer, A. M., Munchak, L. A., Hsu, N. C., Levy, R. C., Bettenhausen, C., & Jeong, M. J., 2014:  MODIS Collection 6 aerosol products: Comparison between Aqua's e-Deep Blue, Dark Target, and “merged” data sets, and usage recommendations. Journal Of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 13,965–13,989. doi:10.1002/2014JD022453.  View PDF
  • Levy, R. C., Mattoo, S., Munchak, L. A., Remer, L. A., Sayer, A. M., Patadia, F., & Hsu, N. C., 2013:  The Collection 6 MODIS aerosol products over land and ocean. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 6, 2989–3034. doi:10.5194/amt-6-2989-2013.  View PDF

  Aerosol (Deep Blue)

  • Sayer, A. M., N. C. Hsu, C. Bettenhausen, M.-J. Jeong, and G. Meister, 2015:  Effect of MODIS Terra radiometric calibration improvements on Collection 6 Deep Blue aerosol products: Validation and Terra/Aqua consistency, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 120, doi:10.1002/2015JD023878.  View PDF
  • Sayer, A. M., L. A. Munchak, N. C. Hsu, R. C. Levy, C. Bettenhausen, and M.-J. Jeong, 2014:  MODIS Collection 6 aerosol products: Comparison between Aqua's e-Deep Blue, Dark Target, and “merged” data sets, and usage recommendations, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 119, 13,965–13,989, doi:10.1002/2014JD022453.  View PDF

  Cloud Top Properties

  • Baum, B., W. P. Menzel, R. Frey, D. Tobin, R. Holz, S. Ackerman, 2012:  MODIS Cloud Top Property Refinements for Collection 6. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 51, 1145-1163, doi: 10.1175/JAMC-D-11-0203.1.  View PDF

  Cloud Optical Properties

  • Platnick, S., K. Meyer, M. D. King, G. Wind, N. Amarasinghe, B. Marchant, G. T. Arnold, Z. Zhang, P. A. Hubanks, R. E. Holz, P. Yang, W. L. Ridgway, and J. Riedi, 2017:  The MODIS cloud optical and microphysical products: Collection 6 updates and examples from Terra and Aqua. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 55, 502-525, doi:10.1109/TGRS.2016.2610522.  View PDF

  Atmospheric Profile

  • Moeller, C., R. Frey, E. Borbas, W. P. Menzel, T. Wilson, A. Wu, X. Geng, 2017:  Improvements to Terra MODIS L1B, L2, and L3 science products through using crosstalk corrected L1B radiances, Proc. SPIE 10402, Earth Observing Systems XXII, 104020, doi: 10.1117/12.2274340  View PDF
  • Seemann, S.W., E.E. Borbas, R.O. Knuteson, G. R. Stephenson, H.- L. Huang, 2008:  Development of a global infrared land surface emissivity database for clear sky atmospheric sounding retrievals from satellite-based radiance measurements. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology,  doi:10.1175/2007JAM1590.1,Volume 47. No. 1, January 2008, 108-123.  View PDF
  • Seemann, S.W., J. Li, W.P. Menzel, and L.E. Gumley, 2003:  Operational Retrieval of Atmospheric Temperature, Moisture, and Ozone from MODIS Infrared Radiances. J. Appl. Meteor., 42, 1072–1091, doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(2003)0422.  View PDF

  Cloud Mask

  • Frey, R. A., S. A. Ackerman, Y H. Liu, K. I. Strabala, H. Zhang, J. R. Key, and X. G. Wang, 2008:  Cloud detection with MODIS. Part I: Improvements in the MODIS cloud mask for collection 5. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 25(7), 1057-1072.  View PDF
  • Ackerman, S. A., R. E. Holz, R. Frey, E. W. Eloranta, B. C. Maddux, and M. McGill, 2008:  Cloud detection with MODIS. Part II: Validation. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 25(7), 1073-1086.  View PDF

Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents

Aerosol (04_L2)

Aerosol Product ATBD  (Updated February 2009) 
Remer, Tanre, Kaufman, Levy, & Mattoo, 2009:
Algorithm for Remote Sensing of Tropospheric Aerosol from MODIS for Collection 005: Revision 2
Products: 04_L2. View PDF

Water Vapor (05_L2)

Near-Infrared Water Vapor Product ATBD  (Updated November 1998) 
Gao & Kaufman, 1998:
The MODIS Near-IR Water Vapor Algorithm.
Products: 05_L2. View PDF

Cloud (06_L2)

Cloud Product - C6 Cloud Top Properties & Cloud Phase ATBD  (Updated May 2015) 
Menzel, Frey, Baum, 2015:
Cloud Top Properties and Cloud Phase - Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document.
Products: 06_L2 (CT).   View PDF 

Cloud Product - C5 / C51 Cloud Optical Properties ATBD  (Updated January 1998)
King, Tsay, Platnick, Wang, & Liou, 1998:
Cloud Retrieval Algorithms for MODIS: Optical Thickness, Effective Particle Radius, and Thermodynamic Phase.
Products: 06_L2 (OD).   View PDF

Atmospheric Profile (07_L2)

Atmospheric Profile Retrieval Product ATBD  (Updated April 2011) 
Borbas, Seemann, Kern, Moy, Li, Gumley, & Menzel   2011:
MODIS Atmospheric Profile Retrieval - ATBD. (Collection 006)
Products: 07_L2.   View PDF 

Cloud Mask (35_L2)

Cloud Mask Product ATBD  (Updated October 2010) 
Ackerman, Frey, Strabala, Liu, Gumley, Baum, & Menzel, 2010:
Discriminating Clear-Sky from Cloud with MODIS - Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document.
Products: 35_L2.   View PDF

QA Plan

  • MODIS Atmosphere QA Plan for Collection 061
    (includes Cloud Optical Property update)
    Version 11 (22 Sep 2021)
    Hubanks, et.al  View PDF