MCD18A1.062 Surface Radiation Daily/3-Hour

  • The MCD18A1 Version 6.2 product provides daily, 1-kilometer resolution estimates of Downward Shortwave Radiation (DSR) every 3 hours.

  • DSR is incident solar radiation in the shortwave spectrum over land surfaces and is important for land-surface models.

  • The product is based on an algorithm that uses multi-temporal MODIS data signatures and a look-up table approach to calculate DSR.

  • Bands include instantaneous total, direct, and diffuse DSR at MODIS overpass, as well as total DSR every 3 hours GMT.

  • MODIS data and products have no restrictions on subsequent use, sale, or redistribution.
MODIS/062/MCD18A1
Dataset Availability
2000-03-03T00:00:00Z–2025-09-01T00:00:00Z
Dataset Provider
Earth Engine Snippet
ee.ImageCollection("MODIS/062/MCD18A1")
Cadence
1 Day
Tags
climate par radiation

Description

The MCD18A1 Version 6.2 is a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra and Aqua combined Downward Shortwave Radiation (DSR) gridded Level 3 product produced daily at 1 kilometer pixel resolution with estimates of DSR every 3 hours. DSR is incident solar radiation over land surfaces in the shortwave spectrum (300-4,000 nanometers) and is an important variable in land-surface models that address a variety of scientific and application issues. The MCD18 products are based on a prototyping algorithm that uses multi-temporal signatures of MODIS data to derive surface reflectance and then calculate incident DSR using the look-up table (LUT) approach. The LUTs consider different types of loadings of aerosols and clouds at a variety of illumination/viewing geometry. Global DSR products are generated from MODIS and geostationary satellite data. Additional details regarding the methodology used to create the data are available in the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document.

Bands

Pixel Size
500 meters

Bands

Name Units Min Max Pixel Size Description
DSR W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Instantaneous total DSR at MODIS overpass
Direct W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Instantaneous direct DSR at MODIS overpass
Diffuse W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Instantaneous diffuse DSR at MODIS overpass
GMT_0000_DSR W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Total DSR at GMT 00:00
GMT_0300_DSR W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Total DSR at GMT 03:00
GMT_0600_DSR W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Total DSR at GMT 06:00
GMT_0900_DSR W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Total DSR at GMT 09:00
GMT_1200_DSR W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Total DSR at GMT 12:00
GMT_1500_DSR W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Total DSR at GMT 15:00
GMT_1800_DSR W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Total DSR at GMT 18:00
GMT_2100_DSR W/m^2 0 1400 meters

Total DSR at GMT 21:00
DSR_Quality meters

Quality flag

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

Citations:

DOIs

Explore with Earth Engine

Code Editor (JavaScript)

var dataset = ee.ImageCollection('MODIS/062/MCD18A1')
                  .filter(ee.Filter.date('2000-01-01', '2001-01-01'));
var gmt_1200_dsr = dataset.select('GMT_1200_DSR');
var gmt_1200_dsr_vis = {
  min: 0,
  max: 350,
  palette: ['0f17ff', 'b11406', 'f1ff23'],
};
Map.setCenter(6.746, 46.529, 2);
Map.addLayer(
    gmt_1200_dsr, gmt_1200_dsr_vis,
    'Total dsr at GMT 12:00');
Open in Code Editor
The MCD18A1 Version 6.2 is a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra and Aqua combined Downward Shortwave Radiation (DSR) gridded Level 3 product produced daily at 1 kilometer pixel resolution with estimates of DSR every 3 hours. DSR is incident solar radiation over land surfaces in the shortwave spectrum (300-4,000 …
MODIS/062/MCD18A1, climate,par,radiation
2000-03-03T00:00:00Z/2025-09-01T00:00:00Z
-90 -180 90 180
Google Earth Engine