CALIPSO: Tropospheric Aerosol Profiles from Lidar Satellite

CALIPSO satellite data provides monthly mean vertical profiles of aerosol optical properties, specifically the aerosol extinction coefficient at 532 nm and aerosol optical depth (AOD), on a uniform spatial grid. The dataset is derived from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument and reports data only below 12 km altitude, focusing on the troposphere. It includes separate data products for different sky conditions: All Sky, Cloud-Free, Cloudy-Sky Transparent, and Cloud-Sky Opaque.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical distribution of aerosols for climate modeling based on aerosol extinction profiles.
• Studying mineral dust transport and concentration using the dust-only classification flags.
• Investigating aerosol-cloud interactions by comparing profiles under different sky conditions (All Sky, Cloud-Free, Cloudy).
• Validating and calibrating climate models with satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements.
• Assessing long-term trends in tropospheric aerosol loading from the multi-year time series.

Strengths

• Data is derived from the CALIOP instrument, a dedicated spaceborne lidar providing high-resolution vertical profiles.
• Provides a long-term record from the satellite's launch on April 28, 2006, with ongoing data collection for some products.
• Offers differentiated analysis for four distinct sky conditions, allowing for targeted studies of aerosol properties.

Limitations

• Column names and specific data structure are not provided in the source metadata, limiting precise understanding of the schema.
• Conflicting version and temporal coverage information exists across entries (e.g., V4.20 ended July 1, 2020, V4.21 covers from that date 'to current' or 'to June 30, 2023').
• Dataset size, row counts, and granular sample-level metadata are universally listed as 'None' or 'unknown'.

Provenance

Source

NASA and the French space agency CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales) via the CALIPSO satellite mission.

Collection Method

Collected by the CALIOP lidar instrument onboard the CALIPSO satellite, processed into Level 3 monthly mean gridded products.

Time Range

From the satellite launch on April 28, 2006, ongoing for current product versions.

Freshness

Last updated dates on the platform are in 2026, but these likely reflect metadata updates; the underlying data for specific product versions has defined end dates (e.g., V4.20 ended July 1, 2020).

Geography

Global coverage from the satellite's orbit.