AIRS/Aqua Near Real Time Visible and Near Infrared Radiances

Four spectral channels provide calibrated radiances in the 0.4 to 1.0 um region for daytime observations. Each data granule contains 90 footprints across track by 135 lines along track, representing 6 minutes of satellite data. This Level 1B Near Real Time product is produced by the GES DISC to meet a three-hour latency requirement for the LANCE system.

Use Cases

• Monitoring daytime cloud properties and surface albedo using the four calibrated VIS/NIR radiance channels.
• Assimilating near-real-time radiance observations into numerical weather prediction models to improve short-term forecasts.
• Studying aerosol optical depth and land surface reflectance in the visible spectrum for environmental monitoring.
• Validating and calibrating other satellite instruments by comparing radiance measurements in overlapping spectral bands.

Strengths

• Provides data with a three-hour latency, enabling near-real-time applications for the LANCE system.
• Offers calibrated radiances for four specific spectral channels between 0.41 and 0.94 micrometers.
• Data is structured in consistent 6-minute granules with a defined spatial resolution of 90x135 footprints.

Limitations

• Granules are produced only during daytime, resulting in fewer data files compared to infrared or microwave products.
• Uses predictive rather than definitive ephemeris/attitude data, which may affect geolocation accuracy.
• Conflicting license information exists between platforms, with one source listing 'other-license-specified' and others listing none.

Provenance

Source

GES_DISC

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua spacecraft.

Freshness

2026-03-13 20:34:38.575635

Geography

Global coverage from the Aqua satellite orbit.