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MODIS/Terra+Aqua Leaf Area Index/FPAR 4-Day L4 Global 500m SIN Grid V061

Published by LP DAAC;NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/TISL/MODAPS | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Catalog Last Checked: May 26, 2026 at 05:51 PM | Dataset Last Updated: May 18, 2026
The MCD15A3H Version 6.1 Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 4, Combined Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR), and Leaf Area Index (LAI) product is a 4-day composite data set with 500 meter pixel size. The algorithm chooses the best pixel available from all the acquisitions of both MODIS sensors located on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites from within the 4-day period. LAI is defined as the one-sided green leaf area per unit ground area in broadleaf canopies and as one-half the total needle surface area per unit ground area in coniferous canopies. FPAR is defined as the fraction of incident photosynthetically active radiation (400-700 nm) absorbed by the green elements of a vegetation canopy. Known Issues * For complete information about known issues please refer to the [MODIS/VIIRS Land Quality Assessment website](https://landweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/knownissue?sensor=MODIS&sat=TerraAqua&as=61). Improvements/Changes from Previous Versions * 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).

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Complete Metadata
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accessLevel public
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                                            [
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contactPoint 
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description The MCD15A3H Version 6.1 Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 4, Combined Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR), and Leaf Area Index (LAI) product is a 4-day composite data set with 500 meter pixel size. The algorithm chooses the best pixel available from all the acquisitions of both MODIS sensors located on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites from within the 4-day period. LAI is defined as the one-sided green leaf area per unit ground area in broadleaf canopies and as one-half the total needle surface area per unit ground area in coniferous canopies. FPAR is defined as the fraction of incident photosynthetically active radiation (400-700 nm) absorbed by the green elements of a vegetation canopy. Known Issues * For complete information about known issues please refer to the [MODIS/VIIRS Land Quality Assessment website](https://landweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/knownissue?sensor=MODIS&sat=TerraAqua&as=61). Improvements/Changes from Previous Versions * 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).
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identifier 10.5067/MODIS/MCD15A3H.061
keyword 
                                            [
  "earth-science-vegetation-biosphere-leaf-characteristics",
  "earth-science-vegetation-biosphere-leaf-characteristics-leaf-area-index-lai",
  "earth-science-vegetation-biosphere-photosynthetically-active-radiation",
  "earth-science-vegetation-biosphere-photosynthetically-active-radiation-fraction-of-absorbed-pho"
]
license https://www.usa.gov/government-works
modified 2026-05-18
programCode 
                                            [
  "026:000"
]
publisher 
                                            {
  "name": "LP DAAC;NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/TISL/MODAPS",
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spatial 
                                            "[[{"NorthBoundingCoordinate":90,"WestBoundingCoordinate":-180,"EastBoundingCoordinate":180,"SouthBoundingCoordinate":-90}],"CARTESIAN"]"
temporal 2002-07-04/2026-05-14
theme 
                                            [
  "Earth Science"
]
title MODIS/Terra+Aqua Leaf Area Index/FPAR 4-Day L4 Global 500m SIN Grid V061

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