AIRS/Aqua L1C: Infrared Radiances for Atmospheric Sounding

AIRS/Aqua L1C Infrared (IR) resampled and corrected radiances V6.7 provides calibrated and geolocated infrared radiance spectra from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. The data covers 2645 spectral channels from 3.74 to 15.4 mm with a spectral resolution of 1200, offering twice-daily global coverage at a nadir resolution of 13.5 km². This processed Level 1C product is designed for comparative studies and weather-climate research, with spectral gaps corrected from the raw instrument data.

Use Cases

• Validating atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles by comparing observed radiances against model simulations.
• Assimilating infrared radiance observations into numerical weather prediction models to improve forecast accuracy.
• Conducting climate trend analysis using a consistent, long-term record of global infrared spectra.
• Developing new remote sensing algorithms for trace gases by leveraging the instrument's high spectral resolution.
• Cross-calibrating other infrared satellite instruments using the AIRS spectra as a reference standard.

Strengths

• Provides high spectral resolution data with 2645 channels, enabling detailed atmospheric profiling.
• Offers consistent, twice-daily global coverage due to the satellite's sun-synchronous orbit.
• Data is processed to Level 1C, correcting for spectral gaps and bad points present in raw measurements.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as specific column names, dataset size, and precise update frequency are not provided across platforms.
• Spatial resolution is coarser at the edges of the swath due to the 49.5-degree cross-track scanning geometry.
• The provenance of the 'last updated' field is unclear, as it is marked 'unknown' or 'None' in all source descriptions.

Provenance

Source

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC)

Collection Method

Data is generated from AIRS Level 1B swath products aboard the EOS Aqua satellite.

Time Range

Coverage began with the Aqua satellite launch in 2002 and is ongoing.

Freshness

A major version switchover for this collection occurred on June 1, 2020, indicating ongoing maintenance.

Geography

Global coverage, essentially the entire globe.