Ancillary Data

The Remote Sensing Phenology (RSP) collection is a set of nine annual phenological metrics for the conterminous United States. Researchers at the USGS EROS Center utilize data gathered by satellite sensors to track seasonal changes in vegetation. The satellite sensors that provide the raw data are the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) carried aboard National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Terra and Aqua satellites. The satellite data are initially transformed into Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values. eMODIS NDVI provide the foundation for the phenology metrics. Time-series NDVI can be summarized and analyzed to produce nine key phenological indicators. These data represent a powerful tool for documenting plant life-cycle trends and detecting the impacts of climate change on ecosystems.