Aqua AIRS Level 2 Support Retrieval Atmospheric Profiles

Global atmospheric profiles from the AIRS and AMSU instruments aboard NASA's Aqua satellite provide high-resolution data for research. The Support Product includes 100 pressure level profiles from 1100 to 0.016 mb, intermediate retrieval outputs, trace gas abundances, and detailed quality assessments. Data is collected in 6-minute granules, with 240 granules produced daily since the instrument's launch.

Use Cases

• Generating forward radiances for atmospheric models using high-resolution 100-level pressure profiles.
• Examining research products like the abundance of atmospheric trace gases.
• Conducting detailed quality assessment of atmospheric retrievals using intermediate output data.
• Studying global atmospheric conditions with data collected at a 50 km horizontal resolution.

Strengths

• Provides high vertical resolution with 100 pressure levels between 1100 and 0.016 mb.
• Offers detailed intermediate outputs and quality assessment information for research validation.
• Delivers global coverage with a consistent data collection cycle of 240 granules per day.

Limitations

• Specific column names and dataset size (row count) are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, with one listing 2016 and another listing a future date of 2026.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Collected by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) instruments aboard the EOS Aqua satellite.

Time Range

From Aqua satellite launch (2002) onward; specific start date not provided.

Freshness

2016-09-25 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Global coverage from a polar-orbiting platform.