Global spatiotemporally continuous MODIS land surface temperature dataset

Abstract

Land surface temperature (LST) plays a critical role in land surface processes. However, as one of the effective means for obtaining global LST observations, remote sensing observations are inherently affected by cloud cover, resulting in varying degrees of missing data in satellite-derived LST products. Here, we propose a solution. First, the data interpolating empirical orthogonal functions (DINEOF) method is used to reconstruct invalid LSTs in cloud-contaminated areas into ideal, clear-sky LSTs. Then, a cumulative distribution function (CDF) matching-based method is developed to correct the ideal, clear-sky LSTs to the real LSTs. Experimental results prove that this method can effectively reconstruct missing LST data and guarantee acceptable accuracy in most regions of the world, with RMSEs of 1–2 K and R values of 0.820–0.996 under ideal, clear-sky conditions and RMSEs of 4–7 K and R values of 0.811–0.933 under all weather conditions. Finally, a spatiotemporally continuous MODIS LST dataset at 0.05° latitude/longitude grids is produced based on the above method.