What is a MODIS hotspot/fire detection?
A MODIS hotspot/fire detection is the location of a thermal anomaly that was detected by MODIS using data from the middle infrared and thermal infrared bands. In most cases, this thermal anomaly is a fire, but sometimes it is a volcanic eruption or the flare from a gas well. We have no way of knowing which it is based on the MODIS data alone.
A MODIS hotspot/active fire location represents the center of a 1km (approx.) pixel flagged as containing one or more actively burning hotspots/fires. The hotspots/fires are detected using data from the MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument, on board NASA’s Aqua and Terra satellites. In most cases, MODIS hotspots are vegetation fires, but sometimes it is a volcanic eruption or the flare from a gas well. There is no way of knowing which type of thermal anomaly is detected based on the MODIS data alone.
