The goal of the MODIS land cover product is to create a detailed map of different types of land cover around the world. Researchers used data from the MODIS satellite to classify land cover types based on their spectral, temporal, spatial, and directional characteristics. They analyzed data from October 2000 to October 2001 to create classifications for 17 different land cover types. The result is a global map showing where these different types of land cover are located.