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Description

The NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) global datasets were created using Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) N07, N09, N11, and N14 datasets (1981 - 1999) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)/Terra MOD09 surface reflectance data (2000 - 2014). The VIP Vegetation Index (VI) product was developed to provide consistent measurements of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and modified Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI2) spanning more than 30 years of data from multiple sensors. The EVI2 is a backward extension of AVHRR. Vegetation indices such as NDVI and EVI2 are useful for assessing the biophysical properties of the land surface, and are used to characterize vegetation phenology. Phenology tracks the seasonal life cycle of vegetation, and provides information on the biotic response to environmental changes.

The VIP30 VI data product is provided monthly at 0.05 degree (5600 meter (m)) spatial resolution in geographic (Lat/Lon) grid format. The data are stored in Hierarchical Data Format-Earth Observing System (HDF-EOS) file format. The VIP30 VI product contains 12 Science Datasets (SDS), which include the calculated VIs (NDVI and EVI2) as well as quality assurance/pixel reliability, the input Visible/Near Infrared (VNIR) surface reflectance data, and viewing geometry. The Blue and Middle Infrared (MIR) surface reflectance data are only available for the MODIS era (2000 - 2014). Gaps in the product are filled using long term mean VI records derived from the more than 30 year time series of data, and are indicated as gap-filled in the Pixel Reliability SDS.

The VIP30 dataset consists of 12 monthly composites annually representing each calendar month of the year.

Known Issues

  • The Relative Azimuth Angle (RAA) for the input MODIS data is computed based on absolute values of the finer resolution pixels resulting in positive values and has minor usefulness.
  • The RAA for the input AVHRR data contain values in the -360° to 360° range. The routine to restrict the values in the -180° to 180° range was accidentally missed and can be corrected using the following routine described in Section 4.2.1 of the User Guide and Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document:
    • SinRelativeAz=sin(RAA)
    • CosRelativeAz=cos(RAA)
    • Correct-RAA = atan2(SinRelativeAz,CosRelativeAz)

Version Description

This V4 release is based on input daily data from AVHRR LTDR v4 (1981-1999) and MODIS C5 (2000-2014) data records and includes the following changes/additions: *Use of the new MODIS-based MOD44W Land water mask product, with many improvements in the wetlands, small lakes, rivers, and riparian classes; *Science changes; *Product files structural changes; *Improved Processing rules; *Additional VI byproducts

Product Summary

Platforms
NOAA-7 ,
NOAA-9 ,
NOAA-11 ,
NOAA-14 ,
Terra
Instruments
AVHRR ,
MODIS
Spatial Extent

N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180

Spatial Resolution
5600 Meters x 5600 Meters
Geographic Region
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
CARTESIAN
Temporal Extent
1981-01-01 to 2014-12-31
Temporal Resolution
1 Month
Data Partner
Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) ,
Vegetation Index and Phenology Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Arizona (UAZ/ECE/VIP)
Concept ID
C2763268451-LPCLOUD
Data State
COMPLETE
Number of Files/Granules
408
Processing Level
3
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Vegetation Index ,
Plant Phenology ,
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) ,
Plant Phenological Changes

Citation

Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.

Copy Citation

Didan, K., & Barreto, A. (2016). NASA MEaSUREs Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) Vegetation Indices Monthly Global 0.05Deg CMG [Data set]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MEASURES/VIP/VIP30.004 Date Accessed: 2025-12-14

File Naming Convention

VIP30.A2014335.004.2016246200339.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (VIP30) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2014335), the Data Product Version (004), and the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2016246200339), and the Data Format (hdf).

Documents

Publications Citing This Dataset

Variables

Variables are a set of physical properties whose values determine the characteristics or behavior of something. For example, temperature and pressure are variables of the atmosphere. Parameters and variables can be used interchangeably. Variable level attributes provide individual information for each variable.

The Name in this table is the variable name. Fill value indicates missing or undefined data points in a variable. Valid range is the range of values the variable can store. Scale factor is used to increase or decrease the size of an object and can be used to correct for distortion. For questions on a specific variable, please use the Earthdata Forum.

Name Description Units Data Type Fill Value Valid Range Scale Factor
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly BLUE reflectance Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly Blue Reflectance N/A int16 -28672 -100 to 16000 0.0001
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly Composite Day of the Year Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly Composite Day of the Year Day int16 -1 1 to 366 N/A
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly EVI2 Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly EVI2 EVI2 int16 -12000 -10000 to 10000 0.0001
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly MIR reflectance Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly Middle Infrared Reflectance N/A int16 -28672 -100 to 16000 0.0001
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly NDVI Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly NDVI NDVI int16 -12000 -10000 to 10000 0.0001
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly NIR reflectance Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly Near Infrared Reflectance N/A int16 -28672 -100 to 16000 0.0001
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly Pixel Reliability Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly Pixel Reliability Rank int8 -4 0 to 11 N/A
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly RED reflectance Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly Red Reflectance N/A int16 -28672 -100 to 16000 0.0001
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly Relative Azimuth Angle Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly Relative Azimuth Angle Degree int16 0 -18000 to 18000 0.01
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly Solar Zenith Angle Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly Solar Zenith Angle Degree int16 0 0 to 18000 0.01
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly View Zenith Angle Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly View Zenith Angle Degree int16 0 0 to 18000 0.01
CMG 0.05 Deg Monthly VI Quality Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) 0.05 Degree resolution Monthly VI Quality Bit Field uint16 65535 0 to 65534 N/A
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