The MODIS Cloud Top Height layer indicates the geopotential height of the highest cloud top at a retrieved cloud top pressure (rounded to the nearest 50 m). Cloud Top Height helps in assessing the fraction of high Cirrus clouds present in the atmosphere. Cirrus clouds are crucially important to global radiative processes and the heat balance of the Earth as they allow solar heating of the Earth while reducing infrared radiation to space.

The MODIS Cloud Top Height layer is available from both the Terra (MOD06) and Aqua (MYD06) satellites for day and nighttime overpasses. The sensor/algorithm resolution is 5 km, imagery resolution is 2 km, and the temporal resolution is daily.

References: MODIS Atmosphere - Cloud (06_L2); MODIS Cloud Optical Properties: User Guide for the Collection 6 Level-2 MOD06/MYD06 Product and Associated Level-3 Datasets: July 2018; Cloud Top Properties and Cloud Phase Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document: May 2015