MODIS Vegetation indices

MODIS Vegetation Indices Monthly L3 Global 0.05Deg (MOD13C2) v6.1

The MODIS Vegetation-Index (VI) products will provide consistent spatial and temporal comparisons of global vegetation conditions that will be used to monitor the Earth’s terrestrial photosynthetic vegetation activity in support of change detection and phenologic and biophysical interpretations. Two vegetation-index (VI) products are to be produced globally for land at launch. One is the standard normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which is referred to as the “continuity index” to the existing NOAA-AVHRR-derived NDVI. The other is an enhanced vegetation index (EVI) with improved sensitivity in high biomass regions and improved vegetation monitoring through a decoupling of the canopy background signal and a reduction in atmosphere influences. The two VIs complement each other in global vegetation studies and improve upon the extraction of canopy biophysical parameters.

The APDRC provides monthly 0.05° x 0.05° indices.

For information on how to cite LP DAAC data, please see their Data Citations page at https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/about/citing_lp_daac_and_data.

Version 6.1 (V6.1)

The Version 6.1 Level-1B (L1B) products have been improved by undergoing various calibration changes that include: changes to the response-versus-scan angle (RVS) approach that affects reflectance bands for Aqua and Terra MODIS, corrections to adjust for the optical crosstalk in Terra MODIS infrared (IR) bands, and corrections to the Terra MODIS forward look-up table (LUT) update for the period 2012 - 2017.
A polarization correction has been applied to the L1B Reflective Solar Bands (RSB).

Version 6 (V6)

Snow Cover
The snow cover algorithms and data sets are significantly revised in Version 6. Changes include:

Fractional Snow Cover has been replaced by Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) snow cover. Fractional Snow Cover is no longer calculated;
The binary Snow-Covered Area (SCA) map has been discontinued;
Data screens designed to reduce snow detection errors have been revised and several new screens have been added;
Data screen results are provided in a new QA bit flag, including snow detection reversals and detections with increased uncertainty;
Basic pixel-level QA uses new criteria to indicate the overall quality of algorithm result;
Daily snow cover data sets include SDSs with pointers to the swaths used as the observation of the day.

See the MODIS Snow Cover Products User Guide to Collection 6 for additional details.

Sea Ice
The sea ice extent and ice surface temperature algorithms and data sets are the same as Version 5. However, revisions and improvements for Version 6 to sea ice algorithm inputs—in particular, the L1B calibrated radiances, land and water mask, and cloud mask—have improved sea ice outputs as follows:

Revised calibration of thermal bands 31 and 32 decreased calculated brightness temperatures by about -0.01 K and improved accuracy for very cold scenes (especially below ~ -30°C);
The Version 6 land/water mask (stored in the MOD03 geolocation
product) increased the accuracy of water body and coastline maps;
Revisions to the cloud mask algorithm have increased the accuracy of cloud detection.

Variables
Normalize difference vegetation index (NDVI), Enhanced vegetation index (EVI), Standard deviation of NDVI and EVI
Zonal Global by 0.05 deg
Meridional Global by 0.05 deg
Vertical  
Temporal V6.1: Feb 2000 to Sept 2024 by 1 month(s)
Static? no
Volume 207MB/month/index
Server public:
Source https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/products/modis_products_table/mod13c2 
Acquired Nov 25, 2014 (Updated Oct 2024)
APDRC contact
Supplements EOS Data Description (PDF)