ORNL DAAC MODIS Land Product Subsets

MODIS sensor data are highly useful for field research. However, the volume of MODIS data and the complexity in data format makes MODIS data less usable in some cases. To solve this usability issue, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive (ORNL DAAC) prepares and distributes subsets of selected MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Land Products in a scale and format useful for field researchers. MODIS Collection 5 subsets are provided for more than 1000 sites across the globe. The subsets are offered in tabular ASCII format and in GIS compatible GeoTIFF format. The ASCII subsets are 7x7 km and the GeoTIFF subsets are 25x25 km centered on the field site. ORNL DAAC also provides time series plots and grid visualizations for the MODIS land products to help characterize field sites. User-defined quality conditions can be applied to the ASCII subsets to filter data based on user's requirements. In addition to offering subsets for fixed sites, the ORNL DAAC also offers the capability to create user-defined subsets for any location worldwide. The MODIS Global subsetting tool provides subsets from a single pixel up to 201x201 km for user-defined time range. Statistics, time series plots and GIS compatible files for the customized subsets are also distributed through this tool. Users place an order for a MODIS subset online and an email is generated when the subset is created. Google maps, Google Earth and Landsat images are provided to help visualize the subset location.