Editing Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

{{Short description|Payload imaging sensor}}
{{Redirect|MODIS|the singular|Modi (disambiguation){{!}}Modi|other uses|Modis (disambiguation){{!}}Modis}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
[[Image:ev26221 KlyuchevskayaSopka.A2004012.0035.500m.jpg|thumb|Ash plumes on [[Kamchatka Peninsula]], eastern Russia.]]
[[Image:Katrina 2005-08-26 1840Z.jpg|thumb|[[Hurricane Katrina]] near the Florida peninsula.]]
[[Image:Modis Image of California Wildfires taken on October 22, 2007.jpg|thumbnail|California wildfires.]]
[[Image:MODIS ATM solar irradiance.svg|thumb|Solar irradiance spectrum and MODIS bands.]]
[[File:MODIS-external.gif|thumbnail|External view of the MODIS unit.]]
[[File:Exploded View of MODIS Subsystems.gif|thumbnail|Exploded view of the MODIS subsystems.]]
[[Image:The Water Planet.jpg|thumb|This detailed, photo-like view of Earth is based largely on observations from MODIS.]]
The '''Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer''' ('''MODIS''') is a satellite-based sensor used for earth and climate measurements. There are two MODIS sensors in [[Geocentric orbit|Earth orbit]]: one on board the [[Terra (satellite)|Terra]] ([[Earth Observing System|EOS]] AM) satellite, launched by [[NASA]] in 1999; and one on board the [[Aqua (satellite)|Aqua]] (EOS PM) satellite, launched in 2002. Since 2011, MODIS operations have been supplemented by [[VIIRS]] sensors, such as the one aboard [[Suomi NPP]]. The systems often conduct similar operations due to their similar designs and orbits (with VIIRS data systems deisgned to be compatible with MODIS), though they have subtle differences contributing to similar but not identical uses.<ref>{{cite web |last1=NASA Earth Data |title=VIIRS; Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite |url=https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/instruments/viirs |publisher=NASA |access-date=6 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=UN-SPIDER |title=Detecting forest fires with satellites (MODIS and VIIRS) |url=https://www.un-spider.org/news-and-events/news/detecting-forest-fires-satellites-modis-and-viirs |publisher=UN Office for Outer Space Affairs |access-date=6 March 2025}}</ref>

The MODIS instruments were built by Santa Barbara Remote Sensing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/components.php|title=MODIS Components|access-date= 11 August 2015}}</ref> They capture data in 36 spectral bands ranging in wavelength from 0.4 [[μm]] to 14.4&nbsp;μm and at varying spatial resolutions (2 bands at 250 m, 5 bands at 500 m and 29 bands at 1&nbsp;km). Together the instruments image the entire Earth every 1 to 2 days. They are designed to provide measurements in large-scale global dynamics including changes in Earth's [[cloud cover]], [[radiation budget]] and processes occurring in the oceans, on land, and in the [[Atmosphere of Earth#Structure of the atmosphere|lower atmosphere]]. 

Support and calibration is provided by the MODIS characterization support team (MCST).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mcst.gsfc.nasa.gov/|title=MODIS Characterization Support Team|access-date= 18 July 2015}}</ref>

== Applications ==
{{expand section|date=September 2014}}
With its high temporal resolution although low spatial resolution, MODIS data are useful to track changes in the landscape over time. Examples of such applications are the monitoring of vegetation health by means of time-series analyses with vegetation indices,<ref>LU, L., KUENZER, C., WANG, C., GUO, H., Li, Q., 2015: Evaluation of three MODIS-derived Vegetation Index Time Series for Dry land Vegetation Dynamics Monitoring. Remote Sensing, 2015, 7, 7597–7614; doi:10.3390/rs70607597</ref> long term land cover changes (e.g. to monitor deforestation rates),<ref>LEINENKUGEL; P., WOLTERS, M., OPPELT, N., KUENZER, C., 2014: Tree cover and forest cover dynamics in the Mekong Basin from 2001 to 2011. Remote Sensing of Environment, Vol. 158, 376–392</ref><ref>KLEIN, I., GESSNER, U. and C. KUENZER, 2012: Regional land cover mapping in Central Asia using MODIS time series. Applied Geography 35, 1–16</ref><ref>LU, L., KUENZER, C., GUO, H., Li, Q., LONG, T., LI, X., 2014: A Novel Land Cover Classification Map Based on MODIS Time-series in Nanjing, China. Remote Sensing, 6, 3387–3408; doi:10.3390/rs6043387</ref><ref>GESSNER, U.; MACHWITZ, M.; ESCH, T.; TILLACK, A.; NAEIMI, V.; KUENZER, C.; DECH, S. (2015): Multi-sensor mapping of West African land cover using MODIS, ASAR and TanDEM-X/TerraSAR-X data. Remote Sensing of Environment. 282–297</ref> global snow cover trends,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Hall|first1=Dorothy K|author-link=Dorothy Hall (scientist)|last2=Riggs|first2=George A|last3=Salomonson|first3=Vincent V|last4=DiGirolamo|first4=Nicolo E|last5=Bayr|first5=Klaus J|date=2002|title=MODIS snow-cover products|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0034425702000950|journal=Remote Sensing of Environment|language=en|volume=83|issue=1–2|pages=181–194|doi=10.1016/S0034-4257(02)00095-0|bibcode=2002RSEnv..83..181H |s2cid=129808147 |hdl=2060/20010069265|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Hall|first1=Dorothy K.|author-link=Dorothy Hall (scientist)|last2=Riggs|first2=George A.|last3=Salomonson|first3=Vincent V.|date=1995|title=Development of methods for mapping global snow cover using moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer data|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/003442579500137P|journal=Remote Sensing of Environment|language=en|volume=54|issue=2|pages=127–140|doi=10.1016/0034-4257(95)00137-P|bibcode=1995RSEnv..54..127H |url-access=subscription}}</ref> water inundation from pluvial, riverine, or [[sea level rise]] flooding in coastal areas,<ref>KUENZER, C, KLEIN, I., ULLMANN; T., FOUFOULA-GEORGIOU, E., BAUMHAUER, R., DECH, S., 2015: Remote Sensing of River Delta Inundation: exploiting the Potential of coarse spatial Resolution, temporally-dense MODIS Time Series. Remote Sensing, 7, 8516–8542</ref> change of water levels of major lakes such as the [[Aral Sea]],<ref>KLEIN, I., DIETZ, A., GESSNER, U., DECH, S., KUENZER, C., 2015: Results of the Global WaterPack: a novel product to assess inland water body dynamics on a daily basis. Remote Sensing Letters, Vol. 6, No. 1, 78–87</ref><ref>[http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/aral_sea.php?src=features-hp&eocn=home&eoci=feature "Shrinking Aral Sea."]''NASA Earth Observatory.'' Retrieved: 30 September 2014.</ref> and the detection and mapping of [[wildland fires]] in the United States.<ref name="LAT 019-11-05">{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-11-05/kincade-fire-burn-scar-satellite-image|title=Satellite image shows Kincade fire burn scar|last=Wigglesworth|first=Alex|date=2019-11-06|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-07}}</ref> The [[United States Forest Service]]'s Remote Sensing Applications Center analyzes MODIS imagery on a continuous basis to provide information for the management and suppression of wildfires.<ref name="USFSMODIS">[http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/faq.php "MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program FAQs."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702044225/http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/faq.php |date=2 July 2013 }} ''United States Forest Service.'' Retrieved: 30 September 2014.</ref>

== Specifications ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2| Specifications
|-
| Orbit
| 705&nbsp;km, 10:30&nbsp;a.m. descending node (Terra) or 1:30&nbsp;p.m. ascending node (Aqua), Sun-synchronous, near-polar, circular
|-
| Scan rate
| 20.3 rpm, cross track
|-
|Swath
|2330&nbsp;km (cross track) by 10&nbsp;km (along track at nadir)
|-
!colspan=2| Dimensions
|-
|Telescope
|17.78&nbsp;cm diam. off-axis, [[Afocal system|afocal]] (collimated), with intermediate field stop
|-
|Size
|1.0 × 1.6 × 1.0 m
|-
|Weight
|228.7&nbsp;kg
|-
|Power
|162.5 W (single orbit average)
|-
|Data rate
|10.6 Mbit/s (peak daytime); 6.1&nbsp;Mbit/s (orbital average)
|-
|Quantization
| 	12 bits
|-
|Spatial resolution
|250 m (bands 1–2) 500 m (bands 3–7) 1000 m (bands 8–36)
|-
|Temporal resolution
|1–2 days <ref>[http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/ NASA.gov]</ref>
|-
|Design life
|6 years
|}

===Calibration===
MODIS utilizes four on-board calibrators in addition to the space view in order to provide in-flight calibration: solar diffuser (SD), solar diffuser stability monitor (SDSM), spectral radiometric calibration assembly (SRCA), and a v-groove [[black body]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/design.php|title=MODIS Design|access-date= 11 August 2015}}</ref> MODIS has used the [[Marine Optical Buoy#Contribution|marine optical buoy]] for vicarious calibration.

==MODIS bands==

{|class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
!|Band
!|[[Electromagnetic radiation|Wavelength]]<br/>([[Nanometre|nm]])
!|Resolution<br/>(m)
!|Primary use
|-
||1
||620–670
||250
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Land/cloud/aerosols<br/>boundaries
|-
||2
||841–876
||250
|-
||3
||459–479
||500
|align="center" rowspan="5"|Land/cloud/aerosols<br/>properties
|-
||4
||545–565
||500
|-
||5
||1230–1250
||500
|-
||6
||1628–1652
||500
|-
||7
||2105–2155
||500
|-
||8
||405–420
||1000
|align="center" rowspan="9"|[[Ocean color]]/<br/>phytoplankton/<br/>biogeochemistry
|-
||9
||438–448
||1000
|-
||10
||483–493
||1000
|-
||11
||526–536
||1000
|-
||12
||546–556
||1000
|-
||13
||662–672
||1000
|-
||14
||673–683
||1000
|-
||15
||743–753
||1000
|-
||16
||862–877
||1000
|-
||17
||890–920
||1000
|align="center" rowspan="3"|Atmospheric<br/>water vapor
|-
||18
||931–941
||1000
|-
||19
||915–965
||1000
|-
!|Band
!|[[Electromagnetic radiation|Wavelength]]<br/>([[Micrometre|μm]])
!|Resolution<br/>(m)
!|Primary use
|-
||20
||3.660–3.840
||1000
|align="center" rowspan="4"|Surface/cloud<br/>temperature
|-
||21
||3.929–3.989
||1000
|-
||22
||3.929–3.989
||1000
|-
||23
||4.020–4.080
||1000
|-
||24
||4.433–4.498
||1000
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Atmospheric<br/>temperature
|-
||25
||4.482–4.549
||1000
|-
||26
||1.360–1.390
||1000
|align="center" rowspan="3"|Cirrus clouds<br/>water vapor
|-
||27
||6.535–6.895
||1000
|-
||28
||7.175–7.475
||1000
|-
||29
||8.400–8.700
||1000
|align="center"|Cloud properties
|-
||30
||9.580–9.880
||1000
|align="center" rowspan="1"|Ozone
|-
||31
||10.780–11.280
||1000
|align="center" rowspan="2"|Surface/cloud<br/>temperature
|-
||32
||11.770–12.270
||1000
|-
||33
||13.185–13.485
||1000
|align="center" rowspan="4"|Cloud top<br/>altitude
|-
||34
||13.485–13.785
||1000
|-
||35
||13.785–14.085
||1000
|-
||36
||14.085–14.385
||1000
|-
|}

== MODIS data ==

=== MODIS Level 3 datasets ===

The following MODIS Level 3 (L3) datasets are available from NASA, as processed by the Collection 5 software.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/lpdaac/products/modis_products_table|title=MODIS Products Table|access-date=2011-06-12|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811054542/https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/lpdaac/products/modis_products_table|archive-date=11 August 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

{| style="font-size: 85%; text-align: center;" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Daily
! 8-day
! 16-day
! 32-day
! Monthly
! Yearly
! Grid
! Platform
! Description
|-
| M''x''D08_D3
| M''x''D08_E3
| —
| —
| M''x''D08_M3
| —
| 1° CMG
| Terra, Aqua
| Aerosol, cloud water vapor, ozone
|-
| M''x''D10A1
| M''x''D10A2
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 500&nbsp;m SIN
| Terra, Aqua
| Snow cover
|-
| M''x''D11A1
| M''x''D11A2
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 1000&nbsp;m SIN
| Terra, Aqua
| Land surface temperature/emissivity
|-
| M''x''D11B1
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 6000&nbsp;m SIN
| Terra, Aqua
| Land surface temperature/emissivity
|-
| M''x''D11C1
| M''x''D11C2
| —
| —
| M''x''D11C3
| —
| 0.05° CMG
| Terra, Aqua
| Land surface temperature/emissivity
|-
| —
| —
| M''x''D13C1
| —
| M''x''D13C2
| —
| 0.05° CMG
| Terra, Aqua
| Vegetation indices
|-
| M''x''D14A1
| M''x''D14A2
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 1000&nbsp;m SIN
| Terra, Aqua
| Thermal anomalies, fire
|-
| —
| —
| —
| —
| MCD45A1
| —
| 500&nbsp;m SIN
| Terra+Aqua
| Burned area
|}

{| style="font-size: 85%; text-align: center;" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! 250&nbsp;m SIN
! 500&nbsp;m SIN
! 1000&nbsp;m SIN
! 0.05° CMG
! 1° CMG
! Time window
! Platform
! Description
|-
| M''x''D09Q1
| M''x''D09A1
| —
| —
| —
| 8-day
| Terra, Aqua
| Surface reflectance
|-
| —
| —
| —
| M''x''D09CMG
| —
| Daily
| Terra, Aqua
| Surface reflectance
|-
| —
| MCD12Q1
| —
| MCD12C1
| —
| Yearly
| Terra+Aqua
| Land cover type
|-
| —
| MCD12Q2
| —
| —
| —
| Yearly
| Terra+Aqua
| Land cover dynamics
(global vegetation [[phenology]])
|-
| M''x''D13Q1
| M''x''D13A1
| M''x''D13A2
| M''x''D13C1
| —
| 16-day
| Terra, Aqua
| Vegetation indices
|-
| —
| —
| M''x''D13A3
| M''x''D13C2
| —
| Monthly
| Terra, Aqua
| Vegetation indices
|-
| —
| MCD43A1
| MCD43B1
| MCD43C1
| —
| 16-day
| Terra+Aqua
| [[Bidirectional reflectance distribution function|BRDF]]/[[albedo]] model parameters
|-
| —
| MCD43A3
| MCD43B3
| MCD43C3
| —
| 16-day
| Terra+Aqua
| Albedo
|-
| —
| MCD43A4
| MCD43B4
| MCD43C4
| —
| 16-day
| Terra+Aqua
| Nadir BRDF-adjusted reflectance
|}

[[Image:MODIS Map.jpg|thumb|700px|center|{{center|Image based on observations from MODIS}}]]

==See also==
*[[Imaging spectroscopy]]
*[[NASA WorldWind]]
*[[Aqua (satellite)]]
*[[Terra (satellite)]]
*[[Fire Information for Resource Management System]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Photos by MODIS}}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110620130042/http://reverb.echo.nasa.gov/reverb/ ECHO Reverb] – the next generation metadata and service discovery tool,<ref>{{cite web |title=About Reverb |url=http://www.echo.nasa.gov/reverb/about_reverb.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111120033331/http://www.echo.nasa.gov/reverb/about_reverb.htm |archive-date=20 November 2011 |access-date=2011-11-07}}</ref> which has replaced the former Warehouse Inventory and Search Tool (WIST);
* [http://ladsweb.nascom.nasa.gov/ LAADS Web] – Level 1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System (LAADS) web interface;
* [https://earthdata.nasa.gov/data/near-real-time-data LANCE-MODIS] – Land Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS<ref>{{Cite web |title=LANCE-MODIS |url=http://lance-modis.eosdis.nasa.gov/ |access-date=2014-09-15 |publisher=NASA Goddard Space Flight Center}}</ref>
* <code>{{Cite FTP |url=ftp://ladsftp.nascom.nasa.gov/ |server=ladsftp.nascom.nasa.gov |url-status=dead |title=FTP link }}</code> – LAADS underlying [[FTP server]];
* <code>http://e4ftl01.cr.usgs.gov/</code> – Earth land surface datasets;
* <code>{{Cite FTP |url=ftp://n4ftl01u.ecs.nasa.gov/ |server=n4ftl01u.ecs.nasa.gov |url-status=dead |title=FTP link }}</code> – snow and ice datasets.

*[http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Official NASA site]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070715215437/http://edcdaac.usgs.gov/modis/table2.asp MODIS bands and spectral ranges (broken link)] (archived 15 July 2007)
*[http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/showall.php MODIS Images of the Day]
* [http://www.airspace-v.com/ggadgets/modis.htm MODIS Image of the Day] – Google Gadget referring to MODIS image of the day.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20010825035542/http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/ Gallery of Images of Interest] (archived 25 August 2001)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100527230429/http://daac.ornl.gov/MODIS/modis.html MODIS Land Product Subsetting Tool for North America from Oak Ridge National Laboratory] (archived 27 May 2010)
*[http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ MODIS Rapid Response system (near real time images)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030712053106/http://onearth.jpl.nasa.gov/ NASA OnEarth (Web service for MODIS imagery)] (archived 12 July 2003)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060701185202/http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_set.php?sensorName=MODIS Visible Earth: Latest MODIS images] (archived 1 July 2006)
*[http://spatialreference.org/ref/sr-org/modis-sinusoidal/ MODIS Sinusoidal: Projection 6842 – MODIS Sinusoidal]
*[http://blog.christianperone.com/?p=86 Python: accessing near real-time MODIS images and fire data from NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites] ([[Python (programming language)|Python]])

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Satellite imaging sensors]]
[[Category:NASA]]
Modis has 36 spectral bands