Land surface albedo is a critical physical variable that affects the energy budget in land-atmosphere interactions. Precise retrieval of albedo must consider the reflectance anisotropy

which is the general characteristic of surface reflectance. Six spectral Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function（ BRDF） archetypes have been previously distilled from a single year of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer（ MODIS） operational BRDF / albedo V005 product（ MCD43） over global Earth Observing System Land Validation Core Sites. This study attempted to analyze the distribution of MODIS BRDF anisotropy with the aid of MODIS AFX and BRDF archetypes. A method that attempts to convert surface directional reflectance to albedo with primary BRDF archetypes

which were obtained statistically from concurrent MODIS BRDF product

was introduced. Results were compared with routine MODIS BRD / albedo product and ground observations. The semiempirical kernel-driven BRDF model was used in this study.Six spectral BRDF archetypes

which were taken as prior knowledge of the reflectance anisotropy

were used to fit directional observation to adjust the magnitude of reflectance and to convert directional reflectance into albedo. First

multiangular ground and MODIS reflectance were used to evaluate the precision and applicability of MODIS BRDF archetype in different spatial scales.Second

the distribution characteristics of BRDFs were analyzed with the assistance of the BRDF archetype. The dominant BRDF archetype that can represent the reflectance anisotropy of most pixels over the study surface can be extracted from a concurrent MODIS BRDF product through statistic method. Finally

the dominant BRDF archetype and HJ directional reflectance were combined to generate 30 m resolution land surface albedo. The retrievals were compared with ground observations. Results showed that MODIS BRDF archetypes represent the general variability of surface reflectance anisotropy that can be used to retrieve albedo at both tens of meters and MODIS scale. The distribution of BRDF is unequal

and the primary BRDF archetype that was obtained statistically can represent the reflectance anisotropy of 70% pixels. Albedos retrieved from the primary BRDF archetype and driectional reflectance meet the accuracy requirements in routine albedo retrievals. High consistency exists between ground observations and HJ albedos based on primary BRDF archetype

which was extracted from the MODIS BRDF product

whereas the albedos under the assumption of a Lambertian surface are greater than those from the ground observations. BRDF archetypes provide a standard to distinguish the characteristic of reflectance anisotropy and to provide a new way to evaluate the effect of reflectance anisotropy on albedo. The distribution of reflectance is unequal

and a dominant BRDF archetype that can represent most pixels over a study area exists. Given this characteristic of BRDF

BRDF archetypes may potentially be used for surface albedo retrievals from directional reflectance. The method employed in this paper considers the reflectance anisotropy properly and can obtain a high accuracy albedo from directional reflectance. The method can be performed conveniently and provide a key reference to retrieve national high and medial resolution albedos from directional satellites and / or airborne observations.