The information provided at MODIS specification website

[rs937]

Hello,

The MODIS specification website (MODIS Web) provides a table that has specific information for each band. I have two questions regarding the information that is in this table:

1) Column 4 provides a spectral radiance value for each band, but it does not explain what these values represent. Since spectral radiance in general depends on location and time, are the values listed in the table some kind of average (typical) values, or some kind of threshold and minimum detectability?

2) Column 3 provides a list of bandwidths for each band. But the RSR provided in an excel file by MODIS Characterization Support Team (Parameters | MCST), is not always consistent with these bandwidths. For example, the bandwidth specified by the table for band 12 is from 546 to 556 nm, but the RSR has a significant value down to 536 nm. But for some other bands they match much better, so the bandwidth presumably is not FWHM. Which source should we refer to for most precise values of RSR/bandwidth?

Thanks

[LAADS_UserServices_M]

The column 4 from the table on our website refers to typical radiance values for each band. Column 3 lists the bandwidth range, but the RSR data that you are referring to is the preflight characterized data and is expected to have variations representing the actual performance of the various optical components/filters/detectors. We recommend the use of the preflight characterized measured RSR from the website for your analysis.