CALIPSO Wide Field Camera Calibrated Radiance Data at 1 km Resolution

CALIPSO Wide Field Camera Level 1B data provides calibrated radiance and bidirectional reflectance measurements on a 1 km Earth-based grid. The dataset is produced by NASA and the French CNES from the CALIPSO satellite, launched in 2006 and part of the A-Train constellation. Data collection is ongoing, with this validated Stage 1 version representing a processing system transition.

Use Cases

• Analyzing calibrated radiance values to map cloud and aerosol distribution across a 61 km swath.
• Studying bidirectional reflectance features to understand surface-atmosphere interactions along the satellite track.
• Correlating WFC radiance data with coincident measurements from the CALIOP lidar and IIR radiometer for multi-sensor validation.
• Investigating temporal changes in Earth's albedo using radiance data collected during daylight portions of CALIPSO orbits.

Strengths

• Data is validated to Stage 1, indicating initial quality checks are complete.
• Provides measurements across a consistent 61 km swath centered on the lidar ground track.
• Part of a long-term mission with data collection ongoing since the 2006 satellite launch.

Limitations

• Data is limited to daylight portions of orbits, missing nocturnal observations.
• Specific sample size, spatial resolution beyond 1 km grid, and error metrics are not provided in the description.
• The last documented update was in April 2020, which may indicate a processing lag or stale metadata.

Provenance

Source

NASA's Atmospheric Science Data Center (LARC_ASDC) in collaboration with the French CNES.

Collection Method

Data is gathered by the Wide Field Camera instrument aboard the CALIPSO satellite, part of the A-Train constellation.

Time Range

From April 28, 2006 (launch) onward; collection is ongoing.

Freshness

Data collection is described as ongoing, but the product version was last updated in April 2020.

Geography

Global coverage along the CALIPSO satellite ground track.