MCD43A1.061 MODIS BRDF-Albedo Model Parameters Daily 500m

AI-generated Key Takeaways

MCD43A1 V6.1 provides daily Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function and Albedo Model Parameters at 500 meter resolution.
It's a 16-day product where the Julian date represents the 9th day of the retrieval period, using observations weighted to estimate BRDF/Albedo.
The dataset includes three model weighting parameters (isotropic, volumetric, and geometric) for MODIS bands 1 through 7, along with visible, near infrared, and shortwave bands.
Data is available from February 24, 2000 to December 2, 2024 and is provided by NASA LP DAAC at the USGS EROS Center.
The MCD43A1 algorithm utilizes the best representative pixel from both Terra and Aqua sensors during the retrieval period.

Dataset Availability: 2000-02-24T00:00:00Z–2025-09-24T00:00:00Z
Dataset Provider: NASA LP DAAC at the USGS EROS Center

Cadence: 1 Day
Tags: albedo brdf daily global modis nasa reflectance satellite-imagery usgs
mcd43a1

Description

The MCD43A1 V6.1 Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function and Albedo (BRDF/Albedo) Model Parameters dataset is a 500 meter daily 16-day product. The Julian date represents the 9th day of the 16-day retrieval period, and consequently the observations are weighted to estimate the BRDF/Albedo for that day. The MCD43A1 algorithm, as is with all combined products, chooses the best representative pixel from a pool that includes all the acquisitions from both the Terra and Aqua sensors from the retrieval period.

The MCD43A1 provides the three model weighting parameters (isotropic, volumetric, and geometric) for each of the MODIS bands 1 through 7 and the visible (vis), near infrared (nir), and shortwave bands used to derive the Albedo and BRDF products (MCD43A3 and MCD43A4). The Mandatory Quality layers for each of the 10 bands are supplied as well.

Documentation:

Bands

Pixel Size
500 meters

Bands

Name	Min	Max	Scale	Pixel Size	Wavelength	Description
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band1_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	620-670nm	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for band 1
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band1_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	620-670nm	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for band 1
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band1_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	620-670nm	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for band 1
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band2_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	841-876nm	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for band 2
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band2_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	841-876nm	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for band 2
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band2_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	841-876nm	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for band 2
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band3_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	459-479nm	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for band 3
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band3_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	459-479nm	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for band 3
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band3_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	459-479nm	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for band 3
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band4_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	545-565nm	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for band 4
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band4_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	545-565nm	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for band 4
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band4_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	545-565nm	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for band 4
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band5_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	1230-1250nm	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for band 5
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band5_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	1230-1250nm	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for band 5
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band5_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	1230-1250nm	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for band 5
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band6_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	1628-1652nm	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for band 6
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band6_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	1628-1652nm	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for band 6
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band6_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	1628-1652nm	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for band 6
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band7_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	2105-2155nm	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for band 7
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band7_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	2105-2155nm	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for band 7
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band7_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	2105-2155nm	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for band 7
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_vis_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	None	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for the visible band
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_vis_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	None	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for the visible band
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_vis_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	None	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for the visible band
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_nir_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	858nm	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for the NIR band
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_nir_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	858nm	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for the NIR band
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_nir_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	858nm	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for the NIR band
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_shortwave_iso`	0	32766	0.001	meters	None	BDRF/Albedo isotropic parameter for the shortwave band
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_shortwave_vol`	0	32766	0.001	meters	None	BDRF/Albedo volumetric parameter for the shortwave band
`BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_shortwave_geo`	0	32766	0.001	meters	None	BDRF/Albedo geometric parameter for the shortwave band
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band1`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for band 1
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band1 Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band2`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for band 2
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band2 Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band3`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for band 3
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band3 Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band4`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for band 4
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band4 Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band5`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for band 5
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band5 Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band6`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for band 6
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band6 Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band7`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for band 7
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_Band7 Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_vis`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for visible broadband
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_vis Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_nir`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for NIR broadband
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_nir Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)
`BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_shortwave`				meters	None	BRDF albedo mandatory quality for shortwave broadband
Bitmask for BRDF_Albedo_Band_Mandatory_Quality_shortwave Bit 0: Mandatory QA bit index 0: Processed, good quality (full BRDF inversions) 1: Processed, see other QA (magnitude BRDF inversions)

Terms of Use

Terms of Use

MODIS data and products acquired through the LP DAAC have no restrictions on subsequent use, sale, or redistribution.

Citations

Please visit LP DAAC 'Citing Our Data' page for information on citing LP DAAC datasets.

DOIs

https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD43A1.061

Explore with Earth Engine

Code Editor (JavaScript)

var dataset = ee.ImageCollection('MODIS/061/MCD43A1')
                  .filter(ee.Filter.date('2018-05-01', '2018-07-01'));
var defaultVisualization = dataset.select([
  'BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band1_iso', 'BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band4_iso',
  'BRDF_Albedo_Parameters_Band3_iso'
]);
var defaultVisualizationVis = {
  min: 0.0,
  max: 1400.0,
  gamma: 2.0,
};
Map.setCenter(6.746, 46.529, 6);
Map.addLayer(
    defaultVisualization, defaultVisualizationVis, 'Default visualization');

Open in Code Editor

MCD43A1.061 MODIS BRDF-Albedo Model Parameters Daily 500m

MODIS/061/MCD43A1, albedo,brdf,daily,global,modis,nasa,reflectance,satellite-imagery,usgs

2000-02-24T00:00:00Z/2025-09-24T00:00:00Z

-90 -180 90 180

Google Earth Engine

https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets

MCD43A1.061 MODIS BRDF-Albedo Model Parameters Daily 500m Stay organized with collections Save and categorize content based on your preferences.

AI-generated Key Takeaways

Description

Bands

Terms of Use

Citations

DOIs

Explore with Earth Engine

Code Editor (JavaScript)

MCD43A1.061 MODIS BRDF-Albedo Model Parameters Daily 500m