These data are a copy of MODIS data from the NASA Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive & Distribution System (LAADS) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). The copy is potentially only a subset. Below is the description from https://ladsweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/missions-and-measurements/products/MCD15A2H

The level-4 MODIS global Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) product is composited every 8 days at 1-kilometer resolution on a Sinusoidal grid. Science Data Sets provided in the MCD15A2H include LAI, FPAR, a quality assurance rating, and standard deviation for each variable.

The LAI variable defines the number of equivalent layers of leaves relative to a unit of ground area, whereas FPAR measures the proportion of available radiation in the photosynthetically active wavelengths that are absorbed by a canopy. Both variables are used as satellite-derived parameters for calculating surface photosynthesis, evapotranspiration, and net primary production, which in turn are used to calculate terrestrial energy, carbon, water cycle processes, and biogeochemistry of vegetation.

Collection-5 MODIS Combined Terra and Aqua LAI products are Validated Stage 2, accuracy has been assessed over a widely distributed set of locations and time periods via several ground-truth and validation efforts. Collection-5 MODIS/Terra FPAR products are Validated Stage 1, meaning that accuracy has been estimated using a small number of independent measurements obtained from selected locations and time periods and ground-truth/field program efforts. Although there may be later improved versions, these data are ready for use in scientific publications.

Shortname: MCD15A2H , Platform: Combined Aqua Terra , Instrument: MODIS , Processing Level: Level-4 , Spatial Resolution: 500 m , Temporal Resolution: 8 day , ArchiveSets: 6, 61 , Collection: MODIS Collection 6 (ArchiveSet 6) , PGE Number: PGE34 , File Naming Convention: MCD15A2H.AYYYYDDD.hHHvVV.CCC.YYYYDDDHHMMSS.hdf YYYYDDD = Year and Day of Year of acquisition hHH = Horizontal tile number (0-35) vVV = Vertical tile number (0-17) CCC = Collection number YYYYDDDHHMMSS = Production Date and Time , Citation: Ranga Myneni, Knyazikhin, Yuri, Taejin Park - Boston University and MODAPS SIPS - NASA. (2015). MOD15A2H MODIS/Combined Terra+Aqua Leaf Area Index/FPAR Daily L4 Global 500m SIN Grid. NASA LP DAAC. http://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD15A2H.006 , Keywords: Climate Change, Biomass, Evapotranspiration, Plant Phenology, Forest Composition/Vegetation Structure, Length of Growing Season, Leaf Characteristics, Canopy Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation