Long-term reconstructed vegetation index dataset in China from fused MODIS and Landsat data

The vegetation index is a key satellite-based variable used to monitor global vegetation distribution and growth. However, existing vegetation index datasets face limitations in achieving both high spatial and temporal resolution, restricting their application potential. This study revised a machine learning spatiotemporal fusion model (InENVI) to produce a high-resolution NDVI dataset with 8-day temporal and 30 m spatial resolution, covering China from 2001 to 2020. A total of 432,230 Landsat scenes were processed, enhancing data quality and accuracy. The dataset was validated using 255,000 samples across 6 geographical regions, showing strong performance in capturing spatiotemporal NDVI variations. Additionally, the dataset effectively addresses Scan Line Corrector-off stripes in Landsat 7 imagery. This dataset enables reliable annual NDVI estimates for China at a 30-m resolution and is available for reuse through an open data repository.