Chapter 3
MODIS Instrument Characteristics,
Performance, and Data for Climate Studies
Vincent V. Salomonson and Xiaoxiong Xiong
Abstract The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is an
instrument designed for comprehensive studies of land, ocean, and atmosphere processes and trends. The first MODIS was launched on the NASA Terra spacecraft in
December 1999 into a sun-synchronous orbit with an equator crossing time at 10:30 a.
m. The second MODIS was launched on the NASA Aqua spacecraft in May 2002 into
a sun-synchronous orbit with an equator crossing time at 1:30 p.m. This chapter
describes the procedures leading to carefully calibrated, characterized, and consistent
Level 1B observations that are subsequently being confidently used to produce higherlevel products contributing to studies of climate change. Illustrative results achieved to
date over the 10–12 years that MODIS has been operating are provided. With the
successful launch and operation of a very similar instrument called the Visible and
Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on October 28, 2011 on the Suomi NPP
(National Polar-orbiting Partnership) satellite, there is a firm commitment to obtain
observations consistent with MODIS for the foreseeable future.
Keywords Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer • MODIS • Calibration • Characterization • Climate data products • Visible Infrared Imager
Radiometer Suite • VIIRS
V.V. Salomonson (*)
Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, 135 S 1460 East Rm 819 (WBB),
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0110, USA
e-mail: vincesalomonson@msn.com
X. Xiong
Code 614.4, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD, USA
e-mail: Xiaoxiong.Xiong-1@nasa.gov
J.J. Qu et al. (eds.), Satellite-based Applications on Climate Change,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5872-8_3, # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
31
MODIS Instrument Characteristics,
Performance, and Data for Climate Studies
Vincent V. Salomonson and Xiaoxiong Xiong
Abstract The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is an
instrument designed for comprehensive studies of land, ocean, and atmosphere processes and trends. The first MODIS was launched on the NASA Terra spacecraft in
December 1999 into a sun-synchronous orbit with an equator crossing time at 10:30 a.
m. The second MODIS was launched on the NASA Aqua spacecraft in May 2002 into
a sun-synchronous orbit with an equator crossing time at 1:30 p.m. This chapter
describes the procedures leading to carefully calibrated, characterized, and consistent
Level 1B observations that are subsequently being confidently used to produce higherlevel products contributing to studies of climate change. Illustrative results achieved to
date over the 10–12 years that MODIS has been operating are provided. With the
successful launch and operation of a very similar instrument called the Visible and
Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on October 28, 2011 on the Suomi NPP
(National Polar-orbiting Partnership) satellite, there is a firm commitment to obtain
observations consistent with MODIS for the foreseeable future.
Keywords Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer • MODIS • Calibration • Characterization • Climate data products • Visible Infrared Imager
Radiometer Suite • VIIRS
V.V. Salomonson (*)
Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, 135 S 1460 East Rm 819 (WBB),
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0110, USA
e-mail: vincesalomonson@msn.com
X. Xiong
Code 614.4, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD, USA
e-mail: Xiaoxiong.Xiong-1@nasa.gov
J.J. Qu et al. (eds.), Satellite-based Applications on Climate Change,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5872-8_3, # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
31