A dataset of spatial and temporal modified soil adjusted vegetation indices in the Ring Tarim Basin from 1990 to 2021

<p indent="0mm">The Tarim Basin is one of the serious desertification areas in China with a fragile ecological environment that is highly affected by human activities. Vegetation is the key factor in determining the degree of desertification in a region and can serve as an important factor for monitoring regional desertification status. The Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI) is often used to reflect the distribution of vegetation in arid areas with sparse vegetation. Based on the data sources of Landsat images from 1990 to 2021Landsat images from 1990 to 2021, this study used the Google Earthe Engine (GEE) cloud platform, and applied the maximum value synthesis method to synthesize data images for the growing season (April to October) in the Ring Tarim Basin, resulting in a dataset of MSAVI during seven periods between 1990 and 2021. The study obtained FVC data from 122 measured sample plots in the study area for use as verification samples. Then, using the MSAVI indexes, vegetation coverage was calculated through a pixel dichotomy inversion method. The mean values of vegetation coverage within 1×1 and 3×3 pixel ranges centered on each sample point were extracted respectively, so as to eliminate potential deviations caused by the coordinate ranges of the measured sample points. The results showed R² values of 0.737 and 0.760, with RMSE values of 0.125 and 0.124, respectively. These results verified the quality of this dataset and the feasibility of using the MSAVI index for vegetation coverage inversion. This dataset can provide data support for understanding vegetation status and desertification levels in arid areas.