Global Cloud Particle Radius Monthly Maps from ADEOS-II Satellite

Monthly global maps of water cloud effective particle radius derived from the GLI sensor onboard the ADEOS-II satellite. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) produced this data at a 1/4-degree spatial resolution, with the latest product version generated in 2003. This dataset provides a quantitative snapshot of cloud microphysical properties for a specific period in the early 2000s.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial patterns of cloud_effective_particle_radius to study regional differences in cloud microphysics.
• Correlate monthly cloud particle size variations with other climate datasets to investigate seasonal cycles.
• Use the 1/4-degree gridded geospatial data as a boundary condition or validation target for atmospheric simulation models.
• Compare Version 2 retrieval results with data from other satellite sensors to assess algorithm consistency.

Strengths

• Global spatial coverage at a consistent 1/4-degree grid resolution.
• Data product is at Level 3, indicating processed, binned, and mapped geophysical variables.
• Specific retrieval method documented, using channels 13, 30, and 35 from the GLI sensor.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is limited to the operational period of the ADEOS-II satellite, which failed in 2003.
• Data is over 20 years old, limiting its use for studying recent climate trends.
• Unknown sample size (row count) and potential for data gaps during the satellite's short lifespan.

Provenance

Source

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Collection Method

Retrieved from reflected solar and infrared radiation measurements by the Global Imager (GLI) sensor on the ADEOS-II satellite.

Time Range

Covers the operational period of ADEOS-II (2002-2003); specific month/year for each file is unknown.

Freshness

Last updated 2003-10-25; no ongoing updates expected.

Geography

Global.