Abstract: Using the K-means cluster analysis method, the times series of aerosol optical depth (AOD) over central and 
 eastern China from March 2008 to February 2018 were analyzed based on the data of moderate resolution 
 imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) MOD08M3. The results show that: 1) The characteristics of time series of 
AOD were analyzed from the pixel scale, which avoided the problem of rules mixing and leaded to the acquisition 
of accurate variation rules and fluctuation scales. 2) Four regional results were obtained on the inter-annual 
change scale, and the inter-annual variation of AOD was mainly influenced by the factor of population distribution. 
3) There are 9 types of change zones on the inter-seasonal fluctuation scale, namely, North China plain region, 
Middle-Lower Yangtze River region, Plateau Mountain region, Yunnan-Guizhou region, Lanzhou-Yinchuan-Alxa region, 
Sichuan Basin region, Guanzhong-Shaannan region, Guangdong-Guangxi-Southern Hunan-Southern Jiangxi region, 
and the Southeast Coastal region. And the dominant influencing factors of seasonal fluctuations of AOD 
in the areas have been obtained based on the geographical location of some changes in the sub-regions. 
These results are helpful to study the precise changes of the AOD time series and the climatic 
environment in the central and eastern regions.

Key words: MODIS, aerosol optical depth, cluster analysis, temporal characteristics, East China