XAERDT_L2_AHI_H08: Himawari-8 Aerosol Data at 10-Minute Cadence

45 Science Data Set layers, including 8 geolocation and 37 geophysical parameters, provide aerosol measurements over the Asia-Pacific region. The dataset is produced by applying a special version of the MODIS Dark Target algorithm to observations from the Advanced Himawari Imager on the Himawari-8 satellite. It offers a 10-km spatial resolution at nadir and a 10-minute temporal cadence, yielding about 142 data granules per day during daylight hours.

Use Cases

• Tracking diurnal aerosol variations based on the 10-minute observation cadence.
• Analyzing regional air pollution transport using the geophysical aerosol parameters.
• Validating and cross-calibrating aerosol models with data from a consistent, multi-sensor project (GEO-LEO).
• Studying aerosol-cloud interactions over the full-disk coverage area of the Himawari-8 satellite.

Strengths

• High temporal resolution with approximately 142 observations per day, enabling detailed diurnal cycle analysis.
• Part of a coordinated NASA MEaSUREs project ensuring consistency across 7 sensor/platform combinations.
• Contains 45 distinct data layers, providing a detailed set of geolocation and aerosol geophysical variables.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low; specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided.
• Data collection is time-bound, covering the Himawari-8 operational period from January 2019 through 12 December 2022.
• No images are produced at 02:20 or 14:20 UTC daily, creating regular gaps in the time series.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) on the Himawari-8 geostationary platform, processed with the MODIS Dark Target aerosol retrieval algorithm.

Time Range

January 2019 through 12 December 2022 (Himawari-8). Data for 13-31 December 2022 is from Himawari-9.

Freshness

2026-04-10 17:19:54.421220

Geography

Full-disk coverage from the Himawari operational position at 140.7°E, encompassing the Asia-Pacific region.