Multilayer Greenland Ice Surface Temperature, Surface Albedo, and Water Vapor from MODIS, Version 1

This multilayer data set includes standard MODIS Collection 6.1 ice surface temperature (IST) and derived melt map, as well as MODIS Collection 6.0 albedo and water vapor for Greenland, at a spatial resolution of 0.78 km. These fields enable the relationship between IST and surface melt to be evaluated by researchers studying surface changes on the Greenland ice sheet. Water vapor is included to assist with evaluating the accuracy of the IST data and the model output. Also included is an ice mask and a basins mask for delineating drainage basins in Greenland.

Surface temperature is a fundamental input for dynamical ice sheet models because it is a component of the ice sheet radiation budget and mass balance. Surface temperature also influences ice sheet processes, such as surface melt. This data set may be used as a resource for model-validation studies such as comparing MERRA-2 surface temperature with MODIS IST, and for comparing MODIS IST, albedo and water vapor with products from sensors on other satellites such as VIIRS and AIRS

The temporal coverage for this data set spans 1 March 2000 through 31 December 2019, with the exception of the IST data, which has been extended through 31 Aug 2021.