Quality Assurance

Last Update: December 23, 2010

MODAPS Services Quality Assurance staff provide an independent check of MODIS Atmosphere science data products, with an aim to catch any production or obvious science problems early on.

While the immediate goal of MODIS Quality Assurance is data product validation, ongoing investigation could potentially uncover issues with science algorithms, instrument calibration, or instrument performance. Activities "upstream" of product generation (instrument calibration and on-orbit instrument operation and performance) have a direct bearing on the suitability of data products for use by researchers and must be considered in the overall product quality assessment. Ultimately, the goal of Quality Assurance is to identify any issue that affects generation of quality MODIS data products.

MODIS Atmosphere Quality Assurance consists of two broad categories, Operational QA and Science QA.

Operational Quality Assurance

Routine evaluation of a selection of MODIS Atmosphere data products is performed to ensure that processing is proceeding as expected, with reasonable science content. No attempt at estimating product uncertainty or scientific validity is made; rather, screening is performed in order to quickly detect any obvious anomalies in the data processing stream.

Science Quality Assurance

In-depth evaluation of Level 2 and higher product MODIS Atmosphere data products is performed routinely, but less frequently than Operational QA screening.

Science QA also generates and evaluates trending plots, diagnostic images, and product summaries to support longer-term product investigations by the MODIS Atmosphere Science Team.

Staff

Please contact Xin-Min Hua (301-614-5140) with any QA questions or suggestions.

(Please note that MODLAND QA performs Quality Assurance for MODIS Land science data products.)