MEGANv2.1 1km2 global monthly LAIv for 2003

These files contain global monthly estimates of the Leaf Area Index of vegetation covered surfaces (LAIv) at a spatial resolution of 30 sec longitude x 30 sec latitude (about 1 km2). The values are representative of the m2 of one sided leaf area per m2 of vegetation covered area. For example, if the LAI for a specific location is 2 m2/m2 and the vegetation cover fraction is 0.4 (i.e., 40% of the surface is covered by vegetation) then the LAIv = LAI/VCF = 2/0.4 = 5.

There are 12 netcdf format files (one for each month of 2003). The file naming convention is laiv2003MM where MM is month of the year. 

The units are m2 leaf area per 10 m2 surface area (which is the unit expected for the MEGANv2.1 preprocessor)

These files were created in 2005 for use in MEGANv2 as described by Guenther et al. 2006 (doi.org/10.5194/acp-6-3181-2006). They are based on MODIS (MOderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite LAI estimates described by Zhang et al JGR (2004) doi:10.1029/2004JD004720 and the vegetation cover fraction of Hansen et al.  Earth Interactions 7: 1-15 (2003). Urban and wetland areas and other regions with missing LAI data in this MODIS database were assigned an LAIv based on the average for the surrounding region.