CALIPSO Lidar Cloud and Aerosol Layer Profiles at 333-Meter Resolution

Lidar profiles of cloud and aerosol layers generated from the CALIOP instrument at a horizontal resolution of 333 meters. The data product was created by the NASA and CNES CALIPSO mission, which operated from 2006 until its science mission concluded in August 2023. It contains column descriptors for atmospheric location and layer descriptors for feature characteristics.

Use Cases

• Classify cloud and aerosol layer types using reported layer descriptors like integrated attenuated backscatter and optical depth.
• Analyze the vertical distribution of atmospheric features by correlating layer base and top altitudes with column position data.
• Study diurnal or seasonal patterns in cloud cover by joining layer counts per column with temporal descriptors and surface lighting conditions.
• Validate climate models by comparing observed spatial characteristics of features, such as optical depth, against simulated outputs.

Strengths

• Data collected from a dedicated satellite mission (CALIPSO) operating from 2006 to 2023.
• Horizontal resolution of 333 meters provides fine-scale atmospheric profiling.
• Contains two structured classes of data: Column Properties and Layer Properties for comprehensive analysis.

Limitations

• Specific row count, file size, and complete column schema are unknown.
• Data collection concluded in 2023, limiting analysis of recent atmospheric conditions.
• Potential for data gaps or instrument anomalies over the 17-year mission lifespan.

Provenance

Source

NASA and the French Space Agency (CNES) CALIPSO mission, processed by LARC_CLOUD.

Collection Method

Collected by the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument on the CALIPSO satellite.

Time Range

Mission operated from April 28, 2006, to August 1, 2023.

Freshness

Data product version (V5-00) was last updated in the platform on June 30, 2023, but the mission concluded in August 2023.

Geography

Global coverage from the satellite's orbit, which flew at 705 km and later 688 km above Earth.