CALIPSO Lidar Observations of Polar Stratospheric Clouds

CALIPSO satellite data profiles the spatial distribution, optical properties, and composition of Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs) on a uniform 5-km horizontal by 180-m vertical grid. The product includes CALIOP lidar measurements and incorporates Aura Microwave Limb Sounder data for HNO3, H2O, and derived meteorological parameters. NASA and the French Space Agency CNES collected this data from the satellite's launch in 2006 until the science mission concluded in August 2023.

Use Cases

• Classify PSC composition types (e.g., nitric acid trihydrate, ice) using lidar-derived optical property profiles.
• Analyze correlations between PSC presence and co-located MLS measurements of HNO3 and H2O vapor concentrations.
• Study the vertical distribution (180-m resolution) and horizontal extent (5-km resolution) of PSC layers along orbit tracks.
• Validate atmospheric models by comparing simulated PSC occurrence with the observed spatial distribution and meteorological parameters from the DMPs.

Strengths

• Data collected by the CALIOP instrument, a primary sensor on the CALIPSO satellite mission.
• Incorporates coincident measurements from the Aura MLS instrument for key atmospheric vapors.
• Provides profiles on a defined 5-km horizontal by 180-m vertical grid for consistent analysis.

Limitations

• Specific row count, file size, and temporal coverage within the 2006-2023 mission period are not provided.
• Data collection concluded in 2023, limiting analysis of recent atmospheric conditions.
• Unknown license terms may restrict certain commercial or redistribution uses.

Provenance

Source

NASA's Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission, a partnership with CNES.

Collection Method

Collected by the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument, with ancillary data from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder.

Time Range

Mission data spans from launch on April 28, 2006, to the conclusion of the science mission on August 1, 2023.

Freshness

Data product version (V3-00) was last updated on June 30, 2023, but the science mission has concluded.

Geography

Global coverage along the CALIPSO satellite orbit tracks, with focus on polar regions where PSCs form.