Validation and Assessment of Heritage and New MODIS Land Surface Temperature and Emissivity Products for the Creation of Unified Earth System Data Records

Abstract:

This study investigates the uncertainties associated with heritage (MOD11) and new (MOD21) Land Surface Temperature and Emissivity (LST&E) products in order to generate a unified and consistent long-term time LST Earth System Data Record (ESDR) using an uncertainty analysis approach. Aqua MODIS 1km LST products from MOD11 and MOD21 are validated by using combination of Radiance-based (R-based) method over bare and vegetation sites, and a Temperature-based (T-based) method over in-land water body sites. Validation results show that the MOD21 results are more accurate and are less uncertain over the bare sites while MOD11 products are more accurate over graybody surfaces, indicating their complementary nature over different land cover types. Using these results combined with an uncertainty analysis model, we leverage the strengths of each product to create unified and well characterized LST and emissivity Earth system data records (ESDR). We further validate the unified LST ESDR product and illustrate its use in monitoring long term trends and assessing variability in the Earth System.