| PCR Number |
25-010 |
| Date |
2025-12-09 |
| Initiator |
Zhuo (Julie) Wang, Carol Davidson and Sudipta Sarkar on behalf of P.I. Kerry Meyer, Eva Borbas, Robert Levy, and Jaehwa Lee. |
| Abstract |
PGE04 7.0.3, PGE06 7.0.22
Update atmosphere C61 PGEs with C7 specific changes:- All atmosphere PGEs PGE04/PGE06 were updated to reflect collection specific metadata changes and correct SDS attributes scale, offset, fill value, unit and valid range and to adopt new file format of NetCDF4/HDF5 for swath products.
- L2 PGEs updated to read and process C7 version of the L1B and geolocation products.
- L2 Dark Target Aerosol product, PGE04, was revised for 10km and 3km data. See attachment for C7 change summary.
- L2 Deep Blue (DB) Aerosol product, PGE04, was revised to use Satellite Ocean Aerosol Retrieval (SOAR) aogorithm over water surface; enhance surface reflectance determination over vegetated surface; Improved DB Surface Database; Transitioned to NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Model Version 5 (GEOS-5); add aerosol type classification to L2 products and implement new dust optical models
- L2 Cloud, PGE06, was revised to use a new cloud thermodynamic phase algorithm for the cloud optical properties datasets based on machine learning (Random Forest); New pixel-level broadband flux calculations using in-line radiative transfer (RRTM-G); New thin cirrus optical thickness retrievals using the 1.38 µm channel; Updated ancillary datasets, including transition to the GEOS-IT atmospheric profiles and land/ocean surface properties datasets produced by the Goddard Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO); Miscellaneous updates including netCDF-4 output file format (vs HDF4).
- L2 PGE06 Cloud Top (CT) portion: (1) Updated spectral response functions (SRFs) for MOD06CT: MODIS Bands 25, 27-30, and 34-36 have updated SRFs to match the C7 L1B data. Corresponding updates were applied in MOD06CT, shared_src/UW_src, shared_src/LEOCAT, and in the PGE85 radiance-bias algorithms. (2) The PFAAST forward-model coefficients for MOD06CT have been revised to be consistent with the new C7 SRF shifts for MOD06CT, shared_src/LEOCAT and for PGE85.
- Ported C6.1 MODIS ATMOS PGEs, PGE55, PGE81 and PGE85, to C7 variations to enable processing h5 inputs and generating h5 outputs. These PGEs are needed to support PGE06. No science changes were made to these PGEs, just the changes needed to enable them running with h5 data.
Note that changes for MODIS C7 have been documented and will be revised as additional products are finalized for MODIS C7. The version of this paper current as of 12/09/2025 is attached to this PCR. |
| Problem Statement |
Generate improved version of the C6.1 MODIS atmosphere L2 Aerosol and Cloud products through Collection 7 reprocessing using the C7 version of L1 products as input and atmosphere product specific changes recommended by the MODIS atmosphere science teams. |
| Description of Change |
Update atmosphere C61 PGEs with C7 specific changes:- All atmosphere PGEs PGE04/PGE06 were updated to reflect collection specific metadata changes and correct SDS attributes scale, offset, fill value, unit and valid range and to adopt new file format of NetCDF4/HDF5 for swath products.
- L2 PGEs updated to read and process C7 version of the L1B and geolocation products.
- L2 Dark Target Aerosol product, PGE04, was revised for 10km and 3km data. See attachment for C7 change summary.
- L2 Deep Blue (DB) Aerosol product, PGE04, was revised to use Satellite Ocean Aerosol Retrieval (SOAR) aogorithm over water surface; enhance surface reflectance determination over vegetated surface; Improved DB Surface Database; Transitioned to NASA Goddard Earth Observing System Model Version 5 (GEOS-5); add aerosol type classification to L2 products and implement new dust optical models
- L2 Cloud, PGE06, was revised to use a new cloud thermodynamic phase algorithm for the cloud optical properties datasets based on machine learning (Random Forest); New pixel-level broadband flux calculations using in-line radiative transfer (RRTM-G); New thin cirrus optical thickness retrievals using the 1.38 µm channel; Updated ancillary datasets, including transition to the GEOS-IT atmospheric profiles and land/ocean surface properties datasets produced by the Goddard Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO); Miscellaneous updates including netCDF-4 output file format (vs HDF4).
- L2 PGE06 Cloud Top (CT) portion: (1) Updated spectral response functions (SRFs) for MOD06CT: MODIS Bands 25, 27-30, and 34-36 have updated SRFs to match the C7 L1B data. Corresponding updates were applied in MOD06CT, shared_src/UW_src, shared_src/LEOCAT, and in the PGE85 radiance-bias algorithms. (2) The PFAAST forward-model coefficients for MOD06CT have been revised to be consistent with the new C7 SRF shifts for MOD06CT, shared_src/LEOCAT and for PGE85.
- Ported C6.1 MODIS ATMOS PGEs, PGE55, PGE81 and PGE85, to C7 variations to enable processing h5 inputs and generating h5 outputs. These PGEs are needed to support PGE06. No science changes were made to these PGEs, just the changes needed to enable them running with h5 data.
Note that changes for MODIS C7 have been documented and will be revised as additional products are finalized for MODIS C7. The version of this paper current as of 12/09/2025 is attached to this PCR. |
| Products Affected |
MOD04_L2, MYD04_L2, MOD06_L2, MYD06_L2, MODCSRFM, MODFMHDR, MODCSR_G, MODFMQC, MODCSRQC, MODCSR_D, MODCSR_B, MODCSR_8, MYDCSRFM, MYDFMHDR, MYDCSR_G, MYDFMQC, MYDCSRQC, MYDCSR_D, MYDCSR_B, MYDCSR_8 |
| Software Affected |
PGE04 7.0.3, PGE06 7.0.22 |
| Processing String to Receive the Change |
Terra Forward Processing. Terra Reprocessing. Aqua Forward Processing. Aqua Reprocessing. |
| Downstream Product Effects |
None |
| Data Granules to be Used for Science Testing |
A series of science tests have been carried out to assess and fully confirm all production rule and science changes: (1) PGE04 tests include AS2014, AS2026, AS2030, AS2032. (2) PGE06 tests include AS2002, AS2010, AS2022, AS2025, AS2031 and AS2033. The tests for PGE06 also include PGE55, PGE81 and PGE85 for generating the needed MxDCSR_B product used by PGE06. The outputs from these tests were fully assessed and approved by LDOPE and the science teams. |
| Justification |
The new C7 Level-2 MOD04 and PGE06 products carry critical science information and provide datasets that were requested by the user community. |
| Effective Date for Implementation of Change |
MODAPS was requested to start the processing of the C7 L2 MOD04 and PGE06 products, with all the changes mentioned herein, as of 12/2025. The products, whatever have been generated this far, have been reviewed by LDOPE and science team and approved for release from the DAACs. |
| Status |
Sadashiva Devadiga approved 12/15/2025. Carol Davidson implemented on 12/15/2025. |
