Data
The MODIS instrument is operating on both the Terra and Aqua spacecraft. It has a viewing swath width of 2,330 km and views the entire surface of the Earth every one to two days. Its detectors measure 36 spectral bands between 0.405 and 14.385 µm, and it acquires data at three spatial resolutions -- 250m, 500m, and 1,000m.
Along with all the data from other instruments on board
the Terra spacecraft and Aqua Spacecraft, MODIS data are
transferred to ground stations in White Sands, New Mexico,
via the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS).
The data are then sent to the EOS Data and Operations System
(EDOS) at the Goddard Space Flight Center. The Level 1A, Level 1B, geolocation and cloud mask products and the Higher-level MODIS land and atmosphere products are produced
by the MODIS Adaptive Processing System (MODAPS), and then
are parceled out among three DAACs for distribution. Ocean
color products are produced by the Ocean Color Data Processing
System (OCDPS) and distributed to the science and applications
community.
The many data products derived from MODIS observations describe
features of the land, oceans and the atmosphere that can
be used for studies of processes and trends on local to global
scales. As just noted, MODIS products are available
from several sources. MODIS Level 1 and atmosphere
products are available through the LAADS web. Land Products
are available through the Land Processes DAAC at the U. S.
Geological Survey EROS Data Center (EDC). Cryosphere
data products (snow and sea ice cover) are available from
the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder,
Colorado. Ocean color products and sea surface temperature
products along with information about these products are
obtainable at the OCDPS at GSFC. Users with an appropriate
x-band receiving system may capture regional data directly
from the spacecraft using the MODIS Direct Broadcast signal.
More information about obtaining MODIS data can be found from the information sites listed below. The URL's for these sources of data are as follows:
MODIS level 1 data, geolocation, cloud
mask, and atmosphere products:
http://ladsweb.nascom.nasa.gov/
MODIS land products:
https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/
MODIS cryosphere products:
http://nsidc.org/daac/modis/index.html
MODIS ocean color and sea surface temperature
products:
http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/
