MODIS (Terra/Aqua) Leaf Area Index (Level 4, 8-Day)

Temporal coverage: 26 February 2000 - present (Terra); July 2002 - present (Aqua)

The MOD15A2H/MYD15A2H Version 6 Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) combined Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) product is an 8-day composite dataset with 500 meter (m) pixel size. The algorithm chooses the “best” pixel available from all the acquisitions of the Terra/Aqua sensor from within the 8-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.

Reference: LP DAAC - MOD15A2H Version 6; LP DAAC - MYD15A2H Version 6