Terra

Key Terra Facts

Joint with Japan and Canada
Orbit:
Type: Near-polar, sun-synchronous
Equatorial Crossing: 10:30 a.m.
Altitude: 705 km
Inclination: 98.1
Period: 98.88 minutes
Repeat Cycle: 16 days

Terra URL
terra.nasa.gov

Dimensions: 2.7 m 3.3 m 6.8 m

Mass: 5,190 kg
Power: 2,530 W

Summary
The Terra (formerly called EOS AM-1) satellite is the
flagship of NASAs Earth Science Missions. Terra is the
first EOS (Earth Observing System) platform and provides global data on the state of the atmosphere, land, and
oceans, as well as their interactions with solar radiation
and with one another.

Instruments
Clouds and the Earths Radiant Energy System
(CERES; two copies)
Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR)
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS)
Measurements of Pollution in The Troposphere
(MOPITT)
Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER)

Points of Contact

Design Life: 6 years

Launch
Date and Location: December 18, 1999, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Vehicle: Atlas Centaur IIAS expendable launch
vehicle

Relevant Science Focus Areas

(see NASAs Earth Science Program section)

Atmospheric Composition
Carbon Cycle, Ecosystems, and Biogeochemistry
Climate Variability and Change
Earth Surface and Interior
Water and Energy Cycles
Weather

Terra Project Scientist: Marc Imhoff, NASA

Goddard Space Flight Center

Related Applications

Terra Deputy Project Scientist: Si-Chee Tsay, NASA

Goddard Space Flight Center

Other Key Personnel

Terra Program Scientist: Garik Gutman, NASA
Headquarters
Terra Program Executive: Lou Schuster, NASA
Headquarters

(see Applied Science Program section)

Agricultural Efficiency
Air Quality
Carbon Management
Coastal Management
Disaster Management
Ecological Forecasting
Energy Management
Homeland Security
Invasive Species
Public Health
Water Management

Mission Type
Earth Observing System (EOS) Systematic
Measurements

Earth Science Reference Handbook

[ Missions: Terra ]

225

Terra Science Goals

Provide the first global and seasonal measurements of the Earth
system, including such critical functions as biological productivity of the land and oceans, snow and ice, surface temperature,
clouds, water vapor, and land cover.
Improve our ability to detect human impacts on the Earth system and climate, identify the fingerprint of human activity on
climate, and predict climate change by using the new global
observations in climate models.
Help develop technologies for disaster prediction, characterization, and risk reduction from wildfires, volcanoes, floods, and
droughts.
Start long-term monitoring of global climate change and environmental change.

Terra Mission Background

The Terra mission provides comprehensive global measurements
for quantitatively monitoring Earths land, oceans, and atmosphere.
Terra, along with other EOS spacecraft (Landsat 7, Aqua, and
ICESat) acquires many of the measurements required to advance
understanding of the Earth system. Terra flies in a near-polar, sunsynchronous orbit that descends across the equator in the morning.
After launch in December 1999, Terras equator crossing time
was changed from around 10:45 a.m. local time to 10:30 a.m. 5
minutes after a series of inclination maneuvers. This crossing time
is expected to be maintained for the rest of the mission.

Terras orbit follows the Worldwide Reference System, as do
the orbits of Landsat 7 (USGS), Earth Observing-1 (EO-1, NASA),
and Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-C (SAC-C, Argentina
Comisin Nacional para el Ahorro de Energia [CONAE]), all
crossing the equator within 30 minutes of each other. These four
spacecraft compose the Morning Constellation, thus facilitating
joint use of Terra data and the data from its companion missions.
The Aqua spacecraft, launched in May 2002, flies in an ascending
orbit with a 1:30 p.m. equatorial crossing time, which enables study
of diurnal variability with the MODIS and CERES instruments on
both Terra and Aqua. For additional information about the Terra
spacecraft and links to each of its five instruments, the reader is
invited to visit the Terra Project Science homepage at: terra.nasa.
gov.

Each Terra instrument was developed under the supervision
of a science team that also provides algorithms for analysis of the
data and derivation of Earth-system measurements. The science
teams validate these products and use them in scientific investigations. Terra has five complementary scientific instruments: ASTER
for close-up land studies, CERES for a broad view of long- and
shortwave radiation, MOPITT for studies of pollution, MISR
for bidirectional-reflectance studies of clouds, aerosol, and land
features, and MODIS for global analysis of land, ocean, and atmosphere properties and their interactions. The MODIS and CERES

226

[ Missions: Terra ]

Terra Instruments
ASTER
Advanced Spaceborne Thermal
Emission and Reflection Radiometer
A 3-radiometer sensor package with
three vis/near-IR, six shortwave, and 5
thermal-infrared channels with 15, 30,
and 90-m resolution, respectively, and a
60-km swath. Provided by the Japanese
Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), designed to make detailed
maps of land surface temperature,
emissivity, reflectance and elevation.
CERES
Clouds and the Earths Radiant Energy
System
A 3-channel, broadband radiometer
(0.3 to > 100 m, 0.35 m, 812 m)
designed to measure major elements of
the Earths radiation balance.
MISR
Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer
A 36-channel instrument; nine pushbroom cameras with discrete view
angles (to 70) in four spectral bands
(0.4430.865 m) with resolutions of
275 m to 1.1 km, designed to measure
clouds, aerosols and vegetation cover.
MODIS
Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer
A 36-band spectroradiometer measuring visible and infrared radiation
(0.414.5 m with spatial resolutions
of 250 m, 500 m, and 1 km at nadir)
for derivation of products ranging from
land vegetation and ocean chlorophyll
fluorescence to cloud and aerosol properties, fire occurrence, snow cover on
land, and sea ice in the oceans.
MOPITT
Measurements of Pollution in The
Troposphere
An 8-channel cross-track-scanning gascorrelation radiometer operating at three
wavelengths (2.2, 2.3, and 4.7 m),
designed to measure carbon monoxide
and methane in the atmosphere.

Earth Science Reference Handbook

instruments extend the measurements of their heritage

sensorsthe Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
(AVHRR), the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS), and
the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE)but
with a higher quality of calibration and characterization.

Over the course of the mission, Terras MODIS and
MOPITT instruments have experienced some anomalies.
The MODIS instrument power supply and scientific
formatting equipment experienced problems in 2001 and
2002, respectively, and were switched to redundant units.
MOPITT experienced the loss of four of its channels in
2001, resulting in a reduction of carbon monoxide profiling capability. Despite these problems MOPITT is acquiring science data for both carbon monoxide and methane.
ASTER, MISR, and CERES have operated throughout
the mission with no significant problems.

The amount of downloaded data from Terras instruments is about 195 Gb of Level 0 data each day, which
represents about 850 terabytes when processed to higherlevel science products. Currently, the majority of planned
Terra science products are available through the EOS Data
Gateway. At this point in the mission, most products are
calibrated and validated and have been given the label of
validated data. This means that a data product has been
evaluated and quality checked and is considered ready
for routine scientific research uses. Nonetheless, validation research is continuing throughout the lifetime of the
Terra mission, and it is reasonable to expect that Terra data
products will continue to be improved over time. For the
latest information on the status and availability of data
from Terra (and similarly for other EOS missions), see:
eosdatainfo.gsfc.nasa.gov/terra.

Early in the Terra mission, instrument-team scientists
called for a series of on-orbit pitch-over maneuvers to
allow Terras instruments to view cold deep space or the
sunlit lunar surface. Data from the deep-space maneuvers
were required to enable CERES to confirm offsets for its
longwave-radiation measurements and enable MODIS to
adequately characterize response as a function of mirror
scan angle. ASTER, MISR, and MODIS science teams
desired measurements of the lunar surface for radiometric
calibration purposes. The maneuver required a reverse
pitch during eclipse (spacecraft night) within about 33
minutes.

The first Terra deep-space calibration maneuver
was successfully performed on March 26, 2003, followed by an identical and flawless maneuver with the
moon in the viewing plane of the instruments on April
14, 2003. NASAs EO-1 Advanced Land Imager (ALI)
and Hyperion instruments and OrbViews Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) acquired
data of the moon around the time of Terras maneuver.
Intercomparisons with these instruments are planned.
Analysis of the measurements from the deep space
and lunar maneuvers are currently underway, and final results may lead to a plan for a third maneuver.

Earth Science Reference Handbook

Through satellite and other observations, the scientific
community now has unprecedented quantitative data sets
to study Earth as a system and answer the questions of
how is Earth changing and how will humans be affected
by these changes. Terra, as the flagship observatory for
NASAs Earth Observing System, is contributing valuable new data, leading to new insights about the Earth
system.

Terra Partners
The Terra Project Office, located at NASA GSFC, manages Terra development. GSFC was responsible for the
development of the satellite and the development and
operation of the ground operations system. Spacecraft
operations are performed at a Mission Operations Center
at GSFC.

[ Missions: Terra ]

227

ASTER

Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection

Radiometer

ASTER Background
ASTER is a facility instrument
provided for the Terra platform
by Japans Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry (METI). It
provides high-spatial-resolution (15- to 90-m) multispectral
images of Earths surface and
clouds in order to better understand the physical processes that affect climate change. While
MODIS and MISR monitor many of the same variables globally,
and on a daily basis, ASTER provides data at a scale that can be
directly related to detailed physical processes. These data bridge
the gap between field observations and data acquired by MODIS
and MISR, and between process models and climate and/or forecast
models. ASTER data are also used for long-term monitoring of
local and regional changes on Earths surface, which either lead
to, or are in response to, global climate change, e.g., land use,
deforestation, desertification, lake and playa water-level changes,
and other changes in vegetation communities, glacial movement,
and volcanic processes.

Clouds are one of the most important variables in the global
climate system. With its high spatial resolution, broad spectral
coverage, and stereo capability, ASTER provides essential measurements of cloud amount, type, spatial distribution, morphology,
and radiative properties.

ASTER provides radiative (brightness) temperature, and the
multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) data can be used to derive
surface kinetic temperature and spectral emissivity. Radiative temperature is an element in the surface heat balance. Surface kinetic
temperature can be used to determine elements of surface-process
models, sensible heat flux, latent heat flux, and ground heat conduction. Surface temperatures are also related to thermophysical
properties (such as thermal inertia), vegetation health, soil moisture,
temporal land classification, e.g., wet vs. dry, vegetated vs. bare
soil, and evapotranspiration.

ASTER operates in three visible and near-infrared (VNIR)
channels between 0.5 and 0.9 m, with 15-m resolution; six shortwave infrared (SWIR) channels between 1.6 and 2.43 m, with
30-m resolution; and five TIR channels between 8 and 12 m,
with 90-m resolution. The instrument acquires data over a 60-km
swath whose center is pointable cross-track 8.55 in the SWIR
and TIR, with the VNIR pointable out to 24. An additional VNIR
telescope (aft pointing) covers the wavelength range of Channel 3.
By combining these data with those for Channel 3, stereo views
can be created, with a base-to-height ratio of 0.6. ASTERs pointing capabilities are such that any point on the globe is accessible
at least once every 16 days in all 14 bands and, on average, every
4 days in the three VNIR channels.

ASTER data products exploit combinations of VNIR, SWIR,
and TIR for cloud studies, surface mapping, soil and geologic

228

[ Missions: Terra ]

Key ASTER Facts

Japan provided the instrument, which
provides high-resolution images of the
land surface, water, ice, and clouds and
has same-orbit stereo capability.
Heritage: Japanese Earth Resources
Satellite-1 (JERS-1), Optical Sensor
(OPS), and Landsat
Instrument Type: Multispectral imaging
radiometer for reflected and emitted
radiation measurements of the Earths
surface
Absolute Radiometric Accuracy: 4% in
VNIR and SWIR bands
Absolute Temperature Accuracy: 3 K
in 200240 K range, 2 K in 240270 K
range, 1 K in 270340 K range, and 2 K
in 340370 K range for TIR bands
Swath: 60 km at nadir; swath center
is pointable cross-track, 106 km for
SWIR and TIR, and 314 km for VNIR
Spatial Resolution: VNIR (0.50.9 m),
15 m [stereo (0.70.9 m), 15 m horizontal, 25 m vertical]; SWIR (1.62.43 m),
30 m; TIR (812 m), 90 m
Dimensions:
VNIR: 57.9 cm 65.1 cm 83.2 cm
SWIR: 72.3 cm 134 cm 90.6 cm
TIR: 73 cm 183 cm 110 cm
Common Signal Processor (CSP)/VEL
(electronics): 33.4 cm 54 cm
31.5 cm
Master Power Supply (electronics):
30 cm 50 cm 32 cm
Mass: 421 kg
Duty Cycle: 8% (VNIR and SWIR,
daylight only), 16% (TIR)
Power: 463 W (average), 646 W (peak)
Data Rate: 8.3 Mbps (average),
89.2 Mbps (peak)
Thermal Control: 80 K Stirling-cycle
coolers, heaters, cold-plate/capillarypumped loop, and radiators
Thermal Operating Range: 1028 C
Field of View (FOV) (all pointing is near
nadir, except VNIR has both nadir and
27.6 backward from nadir): VNIR: 6.09
(nadir), 5.19 (backward), SWIR and TIR:
4.9
Instrument IFOV: VNIR: 21.5 rad (nadir), 18.6 rad (backward), SWIR: 42.6
rad (nadir), TIR: 128 rad (nadir)

Earth Science Reference Handbook

studies, volcano monitoring, and surface temperature, emissivity,

and reflectivity determination. VNIR and SWIR bands are used
for investigation of land-use patterns and vegetation, VNIR and
TIR combinations for the study of coral reefs and glaciers, and
VNIR for digital elevation models (DEMs). TIR channels are used
for study of evapotranspiration and land and ocean temperature.
The stereoscopic capability yields local surface DEMs and allows
observations of local topography, cloud structure, volcanic plumes,
and glacial changes.

ASTER URL

Key ASTER Facts

(cont.)

Spectral Range: 14 multispectral bands

from visible through thermal infrared
Direct Readout: No
Prime Contractor: NEC (systems
integration, VNIR, and Common Signal
Processor)
Subcontractors: MELCO (SWIR and
cryocooler), Fujitsu (TIR and cryocooler),
and Hitachi (master power supply)

asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov

Japan ASTER Science Team Leader

Hiroji Tsu, Geological Society of Japan

U.S. ASTER Science Team Leader

Michael Abrams, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California
Institute of Technology

CERES

Clouds and the Earths Radiant Energy System

The CERES instrument is described in the Aqua section.

MISR

Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer

Provides top-of-atmosphere bidirectional reflectances and albedos, cloudtop heights and cloud-tracked winds, cloud classifiers and masks, aerosol
optical depths and particle properties, surface bidirectional reflectances,
albedos, leaf-area index, and fractional absorbed photosynthetically active radiation.

Key MISR Facts

Built by the NASA Jet Propulsion
Laboratory
Heritage: Galileo, Wide-Field/Planetary
Camera
Instruments: Nine charge-coupled
device (CCD) cameras fixed at nine
viewing angles out to 70.5 at the
Earths surface, forward and afterward
of nadir, including nadir
Spectral Bands: Four spectral bands
discriminated via filters bonded to the
CCDs
Swath: 380 km viewed in common by all
nine cameras
Spatial Sampling: 275 m, 550 m, or
1.1 km, selectable in-flight
Repeat Cycle: Global coverage in 9
days
Dimensions: 0.9 m 0.9 m 1.3 m
Mass: 149 kg
Duty Cycle: 50%
Power: 83 W (average), 131 W (peak)

MISR Background
MISR routinely provides multiple-angle, continuous-sunlight
coverage of Earth with moderately high spatial resolution.
The instrument obtains multidirectional observations of each
scene within a time scale of
minutes, thereby under almost
identical atmospheric conditions. MISR uses nine individual CCD-based pushbroom cameras
to observe Earth at nine discrete view angles: one at nadir, plus
eight other symmetrical views at 26.1, 45.6, 60.0, and 70.5

Earth Science Reference Handbook

Thermal Control: Passive cooling and

active temperature stabilization
Thermal Operating Range: 010 C
FOV: 60 (along-track) 15
(cross-track)
Data Rate: 3.3 Mbps (orbit average),
9.0 Mbps (peak)
Direct Broadcast: No

[ Missions: Terra ]

229

forward and aftward of nadir. Images at each angle are

obtained in four spectral bands centered at 446, 558, 672,
and 866 nm. Each of the 36 instrument data channels (4
spectral bands 9 cameras) is individually commandable to provide ground sampling of 275 m, 550 m, or 1.1
km. The common swath width of all 9 MISR cameras is
about 380 km, providing global multi-angle coverage of
the entire Earth in nine days at the equator, and 2 days at
the poles. The instrument design and calibration strategies
maintain absolute radiometric uncertainty to 4%. This is
met through the bimonthly use of an onboard calibrator
and annual field calibration exercises that make use of
surface measurements and data from the MISR airborne
simulator, AirMISR.

MISR images are acquired in two observing modes:
Global and Local. Global Mode provides continuous
planet-wide observations, with all of the nadir channels
and the red band of all of the off-nadir cameras operating at 275-m resolution and everything else operating at
1.1-km resolution. Local Mode provides data at 275-m
resolution in all spectral bands and all cameras for selected
380-km 300-km regions. In addition to data products
providing radiometrically calibrated and geo-rectified images, Global Mode data are used to generate the standard
Level 2 Top-of-Atmosphere (TOA)/Cloud Products and
Aerosol and Surface Products. Level 3 monthly, seasonal,
and annual summary products are generated from Level
1 and Level 2 inputs.

The purpose of the TOA/Cloud Product suite is to enable study, on a global basis, of the use of remotely sensed
radiances for inferring cloud properties and albedos, taking into account the effects of cloud-field heterogeneity,
altitude, and three-dimensional morphology on the solar
radiance and irradiance reflected to space. These products
also provide angular signature and stereoscopic cloud
identifiers that are particularly useful over challenging
areas such as snow- and ice-covered surfaces. The aerosol parameters contained within the Aerosol and Surface
Products enable study, on a global basis, of the magnitude and natural variability in space and time of sunlight
absorption and scattering by different aerosol types over
many kinds of surfaces, including bright-desert source
regions. These products also provide atmospheric correction inputs for surface-imaging data acquired by MISR
and other instruments that are simultaneously viewing the
same portion of the Earth. The surface parameters within
the Aerosol and Surface Product are designed to enable
improved measures of land-surface characteristics, using
bidirectional and hemispherical reflectances to distinguish
surface texture and to take into account canopy structure
in retrieving global leaf-area index and fractional absorbed
photosynthetically active radiation.

MISR URL
www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/
230

[ Missions: Terra ]

MISR Principal Investigator

David J. Diner, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/
California Institute of Technology

MODIS

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

The MODIS instrument is described in the Aqua section.

MOPITT

Measurements of Pollution in The Troposphere

Uses pressure modulation and length modulation to obtain
carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations with three independent
pieces of information represented by values on seven pressure
levels, as well as CO and methane (CH4) columns.

MOPITT Background
The MOPITT experiment is provided under
a Memorandum of Understanding with the
Canadian Space Agency (CSA). MOPITT
measures emitted and
reflected infrared radiance in the atmospheric column which, when analyzed,
permits retrieval of tropospheric CO profiles and total
column amounts of CO and CH4.

Both CO and CH4 are produced by biomass systems,
oceans, and human activities. CO is intimately connected
with the hydroxyl radical (OH) chemical cycle in the
troposphere and moves both vertically and horizontally
within the troposphere. CH4 is a greenhouse gas and is
increasing on an annual basis. MOPITT measurements
allow studies of the global and temporal distributions that
drive energy budget and source/sink studies. Since human
activities have a significant influence on both CO and CH4
concentrations, a better understanding of the role of these
constituents is essential to understanding anthropogenic
effects on the environment.

MOPITT operates on the principle of correlation
spectroscopy, i.e., spectral selection of radiation emission
or absorption by a gas, using a sample of the same gas as
a filter. The instrument modulates sample-gas density by
changing the length or the pressure of the gas sample in the
optical path of the instrument. This modulation changes
the absorption profile in the spectral lines of the gas in
the cell as observed by a detector. The modulated-gas
sample acts as an optical filter, which selectively picks

Earth Science Reference Handbook

out the parts of the atmospheric absorption lines of that gas in the
atmosphere. The detector thus observes a signal highly correlated
with the abundance of the sample gas in the atmosphere.

Atmospheric sounding and column CO are mapped by using thermal and reflected solar channels in the regions of 4.7 and
2.3 m, respectively. Column CO and CH4 are measured using solar
channels viewed through modulation cells to sense solar radiation
reflected from the surface. The solar channels are duplicated in the
instrument at different correlation-cell pressures, to allow a failure
in one channel without compromising the column measurement.

MOPITT is designed as a scanning instrument. The field of
4 pixels, aligned along the direction of motion, and each 1.8 (or
22 km at nadir) on a side, is scanned through a cross-track scan
angle of 26.1, or 29 pixels, to give a swath width of 640 km. This
swath leaves gaps in coverage between successive orbits using the
nominal 705-km altitude and 98.2 inclination orbit.

MOPITT was launched on the Terra spacecraft on December
18, 1999, and was activated in March 2000. Performance to May
2001 was excellent, at which point a problem with the detector
cooling system degraded the instrument performance somewhat.
However, data are still being obtained by the instrument, and studies
have shown that the performance has only been slightly degraded
throughout most of the measurement region. MOPITT data for CO
have been taken and processed regularly for the entire mission.

The data products include CO soundings, which are retrieved
with 10% accuracy provided by up to three independent pieces
of information and are represented by values on seven pressure
levels between 0 and 14 km. These soundings are taken at laterally
scanned sampled locations with 22-km horizontal resolution.

MOPITT CO data for the first 5 years of the MOPITT mission
(March 2000 through May 2005) have been released as validated.
Problems were discovered with some ancillary data beginning in
June 2005, and as of early 2006 the data from June 2005 onward
are being reprocessed with an updated algorithm.

Key MOPITT Facts

Joint with Canada
Heritage: Measurement of Air Pollution
from Satellites (MAPS), Pressure
Modulator Radiometer (PMR),
Stratospheric and Mesospheric Sounder
(SAMS), and Improved Stratospheric
and Mesospheric Sounder (ISAMS)
instruments
Instrument Type: Eight-channel
radiometer
CO Concentration Accuracy: 10%
CH4 Column Abundance Accuracy: 1%
Swath: 640 km (29 fields of view)
Spatial Resolution (each pixel):
22 km 22 km (at nadir)
Dimensions: 115 cm 93 cm 57 cm
(stowed), 115 cm 105 cm 71 cm
(deployed)
Mass: 192 kg
Power: 250 W (average), 260 W (peak)
Duty Cycle: 100%
Data Rate: 28 kbps
Thermal Control: 80 K Stirling-cycle
cooler, capillary-pumped cold plate and
passive radiation
Thermal Operating Range: 25 C
(instrument), 100 K (detectors)
Instrument IFOV: 22 km across track,
88 km along track (1.8 7.2 4
pixels)

MOPITT URLs

Spectral Range: Correlation

spectroscopy utilizing both pressureand length-modulated gas cells, with
detectors at 2.3, 2.4, and 4.7 m

University of Toronto
www.atmosp.physics.utoronto.ca/MOPITT/home.html

Direct Broadcast: No; Rapid Response

processing available

National Center for Atmospheric Research

www.eos.ucar.edu/mopitt/

Prime Contractor: COM DEV

The Canadian Space Agency provided
the instrument

MOPITT Principal Investigator

James Drummond, University of Toronto, Canada

Earth Science Reference Handbook

[ Missions: Terra ]

231

Terra References
ASTER References
Fujisada, H., and A. Ono, 1991: Overview of ASTER
design concept. Proc. SPIE, 1490.
Fujisada, H., and A. Ono, 1992: Observational performance of ASTER instrument on EOS AM-1 spacecraft, in
A. B. Kahle, E. J. Njoku, F. D. Palluconi, A. R. Gillespie,
S. J. Hook, C. M. Hayden, K. Tsuchiya, and J. Dozier,
eds., Advances in Remote Sensing of Earths Surface and
Atmosphere, Pergamon Press, New York, 147150.
Toutin, T., 2002: Three-dimensional topographic mapping
with ASTER stereo data in rugged topography. IEEE
Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 40 (10), 22412247.
Yamaguchi, Y., A. B. Kahle, H. Tsu, T. Kawakami, and M.
Pniel, 1998: Overview of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal
Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER). IEEE
Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 36, 10621071.
Zhu, G., and D. G. Blumberg, 2002: Classification using
ASTER data and SVM algorithmsthe case study of Beer
Sheva, Israel. Rem. Sens. Environ., 80 (2), 233240.

MISR References
Diner, D. J., J. C. Beckert, T. H. Reilly, C. J. Bruegge,
J. E. Conel, R. Kahn, J. V. Martonchik, T. P. Ackerman,
R. Davies, S. A. W. Gerstl, H. R. Gordon, J-P. Muller,
R. Myneni, P. J. Sellers, B. Pinty, and M. M. Verstraete,
1998: Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR)
description and experiment overview. IEEE Trans. Geosci.
Remote Sens., 36, 10721087.
Diner, D. J., J. C. Beckert, G. W. Bothwell, and J. I. Rodriguez, 2002: Performance of the MISR instrument during
its first 20 months in Earth orbit. IEEE Trans. Geosci.
Remote Sens., 40, 14491466.
Also see the collection of 17 MISR-related papers in the
Special Section on MISR, 2002: IEEE Trans. Geosci.
Remote Sens., 40.

Drummond, J. R., 1992: Measurements of Pollution in

the Troposphere (MOPITT), in J. Gille and G. Visconti,
eds., The Use of EOS for Studies of Atmospheric Physics,
North Holland, Amsterdam, 77101.
Drummond, J. R., and G. S. Mand, 1996: The Measurements of Pollution in The Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument: Overall performance and calibration requirements.
J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 13, 314320.
Kar J., H. Bremer, J. R. Drummond, Y. J. Rochon, D.
B. A. Jones, F. Nichitiu, J. Zou, J. Liu, J. C. Gille, D.
P. Edwards, M. N. Deeter, G. Francis, D. Ziskin, and J.
Warner, 2004: Evidence of vertical transport of carbon
monoxide from Measurement of Pollution in The Troposphere (MOPITT). Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L23105,
doi:10.1029/2004G021128.
Lamarque, J.-F., D. P. Edwards, L. K. Emmons, J. C. Gille,
O. Wilhelmi, C. Gerbig, D. Prevedel, M. N. Deeter, J. Warner, D. C. Ziskin, B. Khattatov, G. L. Francis, V. Yudin, S.
Ho, D. Mao, J. Chen, and J. R. Drummond, 2003: Identification of CO plumes from MOPITT data: Application
to the August 2000 Idaho-Montana forest fires. Geophys.
Res. Lett., 30 (13), 1688, doi:10.1029/2003GL017503.
Liu, J., J. R. Drummond, Q. Li, J. C. Gille, and D. C.
Ziskin, 2005: Satellite mapping of CO emission from
forest fires in northwest America using MOPITT measurements. Rem. Sens. Environ., 95, 502516.
Pan, L., D. Edwards, J. C. Gille, M. W. Smith, and J. R.
Drummond, 1995: Satellite remote sensing of tropospheric
CO and CH4. Appl. Opt., 34, 6976.
Pan, L., J. C. Gille, D. P. Edwards, P. L. Bailey, and C. D.
Rodgers, 1998: Retrieval of tropospheric carbon monoxide for the MOPITT experiment. J. Geophys. Res., 103,
32,27732,290.
Wang, J., J. Gille, P. L. Bailey, J. R. Drummond, and
L. Pan, 1999: Instrument sensitivity and error analysis
for the remote sensing of tropospheric carbon monoxide by MOPITT. J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 16, 465474.

See CERES and MODIS references in the Aqua section.

MOPITT References
Bremer, H., J. Kar, J. R. Drummond, F. Nichitiu, J. Zou,
J. Liu, J. C. Gille, M. N. Deeter, G. Francis, D. Ziskin,
and J. Warner, 2004: Spatial and temporal variation of
MOPITT CO in Africa and South America: A comparison
with SHADOZ ozone and MODIS aerosol. J. Geophys.
Res., 109, D12304, doi:10.1029/2003JD004234.

232

[ Missions: Terra ]

Earth Science Reference Handbook

Terra Data Products

For more information about the data products please see the EOS Data Products Handbook, Volume 1 (revised January
2004) available at: eos.nasa.gov/eos_homepage/for_scientists/data_products/. Future updates regarding data products and
data availability should be available through the URLs provided in the instrument sections.
Product Name or
Grouping

Processing Coverage
Level

Spatial/Temporal Characteristics

ASTER

Data Set Start Date: March 8, 2000

Reconstructed, Unprocessed
1A
Instrument Data

Regional up to 780
60 km 60 km scenes
per day (daytime for
all channels, daytime
and nighttime TIR
channels, nighttime
SWIR and TIR channels
for volcano observation)

15 m (VNIR), 30 m (SWIR), 90 m (TIR)

Registered Radiance at Sensor

1B

Regional up to 310
60 km 60 km scenes
per day (daytime and
nighttime)

15 m (VNIR), 30 m (SWIR), 90 m (TIR)

Brightness Temperature at
2
Sensor

Regional up to 70
64 km 60 km scenes
per day (daytime and
nighttime)

90 m

Browse Data-Decorrelation
2
Stretch Product

Regional, three images

available per scene

15 m (VNIR), 30 m (SWIR), 90 m (TIR)

Surface Reflectance and

2
Surface Radiance

16 days required for

global coverage; 70
scenes per day

15 m (VNIR), 30 m (SWIR), 90 m (TIR)

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)

Global

30 m

Polar Surface and Cloud

4
Classification Product

Regional (poleward
from 60 N or S)

30 m over 60 km 60 km scenes

Surface Emissivity and

Surface Kinetic Temperature

Regional, land surface

90 m

CERES

Data Set Start Date: February 25, 2000

Bi-Directional Scans Product

0,1

Global

20 km at nadir/0.01 second

ERBE-like Instantaneous
TOA Estimates

Global

20 km at nadir/0.01 second

ERBE-like Monthly Regional

3
Global
Averages (ES-9) and ERBE-like
Monthly Geographical Averages
(ES-4)

2.5, 5.0, 10.0, region and zone,

global/monthly (by day and hour)

Single Scanner TOA/

Surface Fluxes and Clouds

Global

20 km at nadir/0.01 second

Clouds and Radiative Swath

Global

20 km at nadir/0.01 second

Monthly Gridded Radiative

Fluxes and Clouds

Global

1 region/hour

Terra Data Products

Earth Science Reference Handbook

[ Missions: Terra ]

233

Product Name or
Grouping

Processing Coverage
Level

Spatial/Temporal Characteristics

Global

1 region/ 3-hour, month

Average (AVG) (used for the

3
CERES Monthly Regional Radiative
Fluxes and Clouds data product);
Zonal Average (ZAVG) (used for the
CERES Monthly Zonal and Global
Radiative Fluxes and Clouds data
product)

Global

1 region, 1 zone, global/month

Monthly Gridded TOA/Surface

Fluxes and Clouds

Global

1 region/hour

Monthly TOA/Surface Averages

Global

1 region/month

Reformatted Annotated Product 1A

Global, daytime; 378-km

swath width (nadir),
413-km swath width
(off nadir), providing
global coverage in
9 days

Spatial sampling of the nadir-viewing camera, 250 m (cross-track)

275 m (along track); spatial sampling of
the 8 off-nadir cameras, 275 m
275 m. Onboard averaging up to 1.1 km
is selectable by ground command.

Radiometric Product
1B1

Global, daytime; 378-km

swath width (nadir),
413-km swath width
(off nadir), providing
global coverage in
9 days

Spatial sampling of the nadir-viewing camera, 250 m (cross-track)

275 m (along track); spatial sampling of
the 8 off-nadir cameras, 275 m
275 m. Onboard averaging up to 1.1 km
is selectable by ground command.

Geo-rectified Radiance Product 1B2

Global, daytime; 378-km

swath width (nadir),
413-km swath width
(off nadir), providing
global coverage in
in 9 days

Resampled data, provided on a

275-m 275-m Space Oblique Mercator grid in certain channels and a
1.1-km 1.1-km grid in the remaining
channels, as established by the instru-
ment observing configuration

CERES
Synoptic Radiative Fluxes
and Clouds

MISR

Data Set Start Date: February 24, 2000

Ancillary Geographic Product

1B2
Global, one time only

1.1 km for most surface classification,

elevation, and latitude-longitude
parameters, 17.6 km for coarseresolution elevation information

Ancillary Radiometric Product

1B1

Radiometric calibration coefficients

per pixel

N/A, generated
periodically

Top of Atmosphere (TOA)/

2, 3
Global, daytime; 9-day
Cloud Product
for global repeat

coverage

1.1, 2.2, 17.6, 35.2, and 70.4-km

sampling (various parameters)/
9-day for global coverage at Level 2;
monthly and seasonal globally
gridded products at Level 3

Aerosol and Surface Product

2, 3
Global, daytime

1.1, 17.6, and 70.4-km sampling

(various parameters)/9-day for global
coverage at Level 2; monthly and

seasonal globally gridded products
at Level 3

Terra Data Products

234

[ Missions: Terra ]

Earth Science Reference Handbook

Product Name or
Grouping

Processing Coverage
Level

Spatial/Temporal Characteristics

MISR
Aerosol Climatology Product
2, 3

N/A, one-time only,

Contains aerosol particle and mixture
with infrequent updates microphysical properties

MODIS

Data Set Start Date: February 24, 2000

Level 1B Calibrated,
1B
Global
Geolocated Radiances

0.25, 0.5, and 1 km/daily (daytime

and nighttime)

Geolocation Data Set

Global

1 km /daily (daytime and nighttime)

Global over
oceans, nearly
global over land

10 km/daily daytime

1B

Aerosol Product
2

Total Precipitable Water

2
Global

Varies with retrieval technique; 1 km

near-infrared/daylight only, and 5 km
infrared/day and night

Cloud Product
2
Global

1 or 5 km/once or twice per day

(varies with parameter)

Atmospheric Profiles

5 km/daily (daytime and nighttime)

Global, clear-sky
only

Atmosphere Level 2 Joint Product

2
Global
(select subset)

5 or 10 km/once or twice per

day (varies with parameter)

Atmosphere Level 3 Joint

3
Global
Product

1.0 latitude-longitude equal-angle

grid/daily, 8-day, and monthly

Cloud Mask

Global

250 m and 1 km/daily

Surface Reflectance;
2
Atmospheric Correction Algorithm
Products

Global
land surface

500 m, 0.05, and 0.25/daily

Snow Cover
2, 3

Global,
daytime

500 m, 0.05, and 0.25/daily; 500 m

0.05/8-day; 0.05/monthly

Land Surface Temperature (LST)

2, 3
and Emissivity

Global
land surface

1 km, 5 km/daily; 1 km/8-day

Land Cover/Land Cover

3
Dynamics

Global,
clear-sky only

1 km and 0.05/yearly

Vegetation Indices
3

Global
land surface

250 m, 500 m, 1 km/16-day; 1 km/

monthly

BRDF/Albedo
3

Global
land surface

1 km, 0.05/16-day

Land Cover Change and

Conversion

Global, daytime

250 m, 500 m/96-day, yearly

3, 4

Terra Data Products

Earth Science Reference Handbook

[ Missions: Terra ]

235

Product Name or
Grouping

Processing Coverage
Level

Spatial/Temporal Characteristics

MODIS
Thermal Anomalies/Fire
2, 3

Global,
daytime/nighttime

Swath (nominally 1-km) (Level 2);

1 km/daily, 8-day (Level 3)

Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction

of Photosynthetically Active
Radiation (FPAR)

Global

1 km/8-day

Net Photosynthesis and

Net Primary Production

Global

1 km/8-day, yearly

Sea Surface Temperature

2, 3
(11 m, day and night;
4 m, night)

Global ocean
surface,
clear-sky only

1 km/daily (Level 2); 4 km, 9 km/daily,

8-day, monthly, yearly (Level 3)

Sea Ice Cover and Ice-

2, 3
Surface Temperature

Global, daytime
and nighttime over
nonequatorial ocean

1 km, 0.05/daily

Terra MODIS ocean color products are not available at the time of printing (May 2006); see the ocean color webpage (oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov) for up-to-date information regarding the availability of these products.

MOPITT

Data Set Start Date: March 3, 2000

Geolocated Radiances
1B
Global

650-km swath centered at nadir;

interlaced crosstrack scan of 4 pixels,
each 22 km 22 km at nadir

CO Profile, CO Column, and

2
Global
CH4 Column Data

CO profiles and column amounts:

22 km at nadir with some degradation
depending on cloud clearing and pixel
average/daily CH4 retrievals:
currently unavailable

Data Assimilation System (DAS)

Time-Averaged Single-Level
4
Global
Cloud Quantities

1.25 1 lon-lat grid (288 181 grid

points), 8 times/file: 01.30, 04.30,
07.30, 10.30, 13.30, 16.30, 19.30, and
22.30 UTC; 3-hour average centered
at the timestamp

Time-Averaged Near Surface and

4
Global
Vertically-Integrated Quantities

1.25 1 lon-lat grid (288 181 grid

points), 8 times/file: 01.30, 04.30,
07.30, 10.30, 13.30, 16.30, 19.30, and
22.30 UTC; 3-hour average centered
at the timestamp

Time-Averaged 2-Dimensional
4
Global
Surface Data

1.25 1 lon-lat grid (288 181 grid

points), 8 times/file: 01.30, 04.30,
07.30, 10.30, 13.30, 16.30, 19.30, and
22.30 UTC; 3-hour average centered
at the timestamp

Time-Averaged Surface and

4
Global
Top-of-Atmosphere Stresses

1.25 1 lon-lat grid (288 181 grid

points), 8 times/file: 01.30, 04.30,
07.30, 10.30, 13.30, 16.30, 19.30, and
22.30 UTC; 3-hour average centered
at the timestamp

Terra Data Products

236

[ Missions: Terra ]

Earth Science Reference Handbook

Product Name or
Grouping

Processing
Level

Coverage

Spatial/Temporal Characteristics

Data Assimilation System (DAS)

Time-Averaged 3-Dimensional
4
Global
Cloud Quantities

1.25 1 lon-lat grid, 36 pressure

levels in the vertical (360 181 36
grid points), 4 times/file 03, 09, 15, and
21 UTC; 6-hour average centered
at the timestamp

Time-Averaged 3-Dimensional
4
Global
Wind Tendency Fields

1.25 1 lon-lat grid, 36 pressure

levels in the vertical (360 181 36
grid points), 4 times/file 03, 09, 15, and
21 UTC; 6-hour average centered
at the timestamp

Time-Averaged 3-Dimensional
4
Global
Moisture Tendency Fields

1.25 1 lon-lat grid, 36 pressure

levels in the vertical (360 181 36
grid points), 4 times/file 03, 09, 15, and
21 UTC; 6-hour average centered
at the timestamp

Total Column Ozone

4
Global

2.5 2.0 lon-lat grid (144 91 grid

points), 8 times/file: 00, 03, 06, 09, 12,
15, 18, and 21 UTC; instantaneous
data, valid at the timestamp

Instantaneous Near Surface

4
Global
and Vertically-Integrated
State Variables

1.25 1 lon-lat grid (360 181 grid

points), 8 times/file: 00, 03, 06, 09, 12,
15, 18, and 21 UTC; instantaneous
data, valid at the timestamp

Ozone Mixing Ratio

4
Global

2.5 2.0 lon-lat grid, 36 pressure

levels in the vertical (144 91 36 grid
points), 4 times/file: 00, 06,12, and 18
UTC; instantaneous data, valid at
the timestamp

Instantaneous 3-Dimensional
4
Global
State Variables

1.25 1 lon-lat grid, 36 pressure

levels in the vertical (288 181 36
grid points), 4 times/file: 00, 06,12, and
18 UTC; instantaneous data, valid
at the timestamp

Time-Averaged 3-Dimensional
4
Global
Temperature-Tendency Fields

1.25 1 lon-lat grid, 36 pressure

levels in the vertical (288 181 36
grid points), 4 times/file: 03, 09,15, and
21 UTC; 6-hour average centered
at the timestamp

Time-Averaged 3-Dimensional
4
Global
Eddy-Diffusivity and Cloud Max
Flux Fields

1.25 1 lon-lat grid, 36 pressure

levels in the vertical (288 181 36
grid points), 4 times/file: 03, 09,15, and
21 UTC; 6-hour average centered
at the timestamp

Terra Data Products

Earth Science Reference Handbook

[ Missions: Terra ]

237