Example files showing how to create MODIS Aerosol Optical Depth (MOD04) KML files are available now at ftp://ftp.ssec.wisc.edu/pub/gumley/MOD04/ (please download all files from this directory) - To create the files on an Intel Linux computer, two software packages are required. 1. ImageMagick (installed by default on many Linux systems; type "which convert" to see if you already have it) http://www.imagemagick.org/ 2. HDFLook http://www-loa.univ-lille1.fr/Hdflook/hdflook_gb.html - To install HDFLook: cd $HOME mkdir hdflook cd hdflook lftp -c "get -c ftp://loa630.univ-lille1.fr/HDFLOOK/LINUX_INTEL32_HDFLook.tar.gz" lftp -c "get -c ftp://loa630.univ-lille1.fr/HDFLOOK/MAPS.tar.gz" tar zxf LINUX_INTEL32_HDFLook.tar.gz tar zxf MAPS.tar.gz - To configure HDFLook: export HDFLOOKTMP=. export HDFLOOKMAPS=$HOME/hdflook/MAPS export PATH=$HOME/hdflook/LINUX_INTEL32 - To create a GeoTIFF image of the MODIS aerosol product over CONUS, run HDFLook with the batch script named test_db.scr: HDFLook test.scr This will ingest the three real-time Terra MODIS MOD04 product files and product a composite GeoTIFF over CONUS. For more help on HDFLook scripting options, type: HDFLook -help or check the documentation on the HDFLook website. Real-time MOD04 products for today are available from ftp://ftp.ssec.wisc.edu/pub/eosdb/terra/modis/2010_03_04_063/products/ ftp://ftp.ssec.wisc.edu/pub/eosdb/aqua/modis/2010_03_04_063/products/ - To convert the GeoTIFF to a partially transparent PNG: convert -transparent black test.tif test.png This will create a PNG where the black regions have been converted to transparent. - Now copy the test.png and test.kml files to a computer where Google Earth is installed. First, display the MODIS Today true color image for this day: http://ge.ssec.wisc.edu/modis/modis-google-earth/t1.10017/t1.10017.kml Now load the AOD by image by selecting (File | Open) in the Google Earth menu, and selecting the KML file named test.kml. You should see the AOD image displayed on top of the true color image. Please let me know if you have any questions. Regards, Liam. --- Liam E. Gumley Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies Space Science and Engineering Center University of Wisconsin-Madison 1225 W. Dayton St. Madison WI 53706, USA Phone: +1 608 265 5358