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MODIS Product Versions

View the Temporal Coverage section of this page for the highest version number, which represents the best quality data available.

Terra Versions

Version 1 (V001): Original, at-launch version. MODIS/Terra Snow Cover products originally processed as Version 001 (V001) were deleted from the NSIDC archive on 06 June 2003, due to the availability of reprocessed data with the improved V003 algorithm.

Version 2 (V002): Never produced

Version 3 (V003): Contains processing refinements accommodating algorithm, instrument, and calibration stabilization. The V003 snow cover products provide continuous coverage with an improved algorithm from 31 October 2000 to 31 December 2002.

Version 4 (V004):

• To access MODIS Terra Version 4 Guide Documents, see the Data Summaries for Version 4 Data Web page.

• MOD10_L2 has two separate snow cover fields: one incorporating the original cloud mask, and another using a less cloud-conservative mask. Level 3 snow products continue to use the original cloud mask.

• A sinusoidal grid projection replaces the ISIN grid projection in MOD10A1 and MOD10A2. No significant differences have been found between the two projections.

• MOD10C1 fractional snow cover ranges from 0 - 100 percent. With Version 3 data, fractional snow cover ranges from 40 - 100 percent.

• MOD10C1 has correct dimensions in structural metadata (StructMetadata.0) from 24 July 2002 onward.

• Sea ice products have a threshold change from 277 K to 281 K in the thermal mask.

• MOD10A1 Version 4 data granules after 14 September 2003 and MYD10A1 granules after 4 July 2002 include a Snow Albedo data array.

Version 5 (V005):

• A conservative cloud mask is used exclusively.

• Monthly snow products are available in a Climate Modeling Grid (CMG).

• Fractional snow cover was added to MOD10_L2 and MOD10A1.

• Sea Ice by Ice Surface Temperature (IST) and combined sea ice fields were removed from all sea ice products.

• Browse images are available for all products.

• V005 products use HDF compression making the file size much smaller.

For more information regarding the V005 changes, please visit the MODIS Land Collection 5 Changes Web site.

Aqua Versions

Version 3 (V003): A sample of MODIS/Aqua V003 data from 29 August 2002 (day 241) through 07 October 2002 (day 280) called the Golden Month is available for only MYD10_L2 and MYD29 to allow users to correlate between MODIS/Aqua V003 and later versions. Other MODIS/Aqua V003 Golden Month products are available by special request by contacting NSIDC User Services.

Version 4 (V004):

• To access MODIS Aqua Version 4 Guide Documents, see the Data Summaries for Version 4 Data Web page.

• Includes the same properties as Terra V004. MYD10_L2 Aqua V004 granules use MODIS band seven instead of band six due to the large number of malfunctioning detectors in band six. Due to increasingly erroneous snow detection using the NDSI/NDVI method with band seven data, the NDSI/NDVI test is disabled.

Version 5 (V005):

• A conservative cloud mask is used exclusively.

• Monthly snow products are available in a Climate Modeling Grid (CMG).

• Fractional snow cover was added to MYD10_L2 and MYD10A1.

• Sea Ice by Ice Surface Temperature (IST) and combined sea ice fields were removed from all sea ice products.

• Browse images are available for all products.

• V005 products use HDF compression making the file size much smaller.

For more information regarding the V005 changes, please visit the MODIS Land Collection 5 Changes Web site.

Processing milestones

27 January 2007: There was a processing error that affected all MODIS Terra Version 5 (V005) products at 500 m resolution. This error resulted in stripes of missing data produced between January 27, 2007 and March 21, 2007. Since that time, a fix has been implemented and all affected data have been reprocessed.

12 January 2007: V005 MODIS Aqua snow and sea ice products were released. Production of V005 forward stream data started 1 January 2007. Reprocessing of existing V005 data is expected to begin in mid-2007 and to take about one year.

15 December 2006: V005 MODIS Terra snow and sea ice products were released. Because of processing problems, only products dating from after September 1, 2000 are available. Products between February 24, 2000 to September 1, 2000 will be available in mid-2007.

08 December 2006: V005 MODIS Terra sea ice products are released.

08 September 2006: Version 5 (V005) MODIS Terra reprocessing begins. The reprocessing campaign is proceeding in time order from the beginning of the mission (24 February 2000).

06 June 2005: MYD10_L2 and MYD29 MODIS/Aqua Golden Month data (days 241-280) are publicly available through the EDG, SNOWI, and MODIS SNOWI until 01 October 2005. Other MODIS/Aqua V003 Golden Month products are available by special request by contacting NSIDC User Services.

20 October 2004: A sample of MODIS/Terra V003 data from 29 August 2002 (day 241) through 07 October 2002 (day 280) called the "Golden Month" is available to allow users to correlate between V003 and later versions. This collection also includes several granules that were not reprocessed into V004.

05 April 2004: Terra and Aqua V003 data are no longer available.

January 2004: All Aqua V003 granules from 04 July 2002 onward are being reprocessed to Aqua V004. Forward processing of Aqua V004 begins.

November 2003: Terra V003 data were reprocessed to Terra V004.

06 June 2003: NSIDC deleted all Terra V001 snow cover granules.

February 2003: NSIDC deleted all Terra V001 sea ice granules.

10 January 2003: First Terra V004 products are available to the public.

01 January 2003: Forward processing for the Terra V004 algorithm begins for all products. Forward processing for Terra V003 ends.

20 December 2002: Reprocessing of Terra V003 granules to Terra V004 algorithm begins for all products dated 24 February 2000 (day 055) onward. Terra V003 granules will be available at least six months after they have been reprocessed to the Terra V004 algorithm.

Temporal Coverage

Page last updated: 06/26/08