Global Ice Cloud Particle Radius from ADEOS-II Satellite

Monthly and 16-day global maps of ice cloud effective particle radius, measured in micrometers, are derived from the GLI sensor onboard the JAXA ADEOS-II satellite. The data is projected onto a 1/4-degree spatial resolution grid using an equal-rectangular map projection. This Level 3 statistical product, Version 2, was generated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency using observations from the satellite's operational period.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial and temporal trends in ice cloud particle radius to study climate feedback mechanisms.
• Validate and improve cloud microphysics parameterizations in climate models using the 1/4-degree gridded radiance data from channels 30, 35, and 36.
• Correlate ice cloud effective radius with other atmospheric variables to research cloud formation and precipitation processes.
• Assess the accuracy of the emission method for retrieving cloud particle size by comparing with other satellite or in-situ datasets.

Strengths

• Global spatial coverage with a consistent 1/4-degree grid resolution.
• Data includes both 1-month and 16-day statistical periods for temporal analysis.
• Product is a processed Level 3 map, derived from binned sensor data for easier analysis.

Limitations

• Data collection ended with the ADEOS-II mission, with the last update in 2003, limiting contemporary climate studies.
• Specific sample size (number of observations per grid cell) and uncertainty metrics for the retrieved radius values are not provided.
• The dataset is limited to ice clouds and uses a specific retrieval method (emission), which may not capture all cloud types or conditions.

Provenance

Source

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Collection Method

Retrieved from multi-channel radiance (channels 30, 35, 36) of the GLI sensor on the ADEOS-II satellite using an emission method, then binned and projected onto a map.

Time Range

Covers the operational period of the ADEOS-II (Midori II) satellite, with a last update in 2003.

Freshness

Static dataset; last updated 2003-10-25.

Geography

Global.