CERES Daily Radiative Fluxes and Cloud Properties at 1-Degree Resolution

Ongoing daily data from 2000 to present provides top-of-atmosphere, within-atmosphere, and surface radiative fluxes alongside cloud and aerosol properties. The dataset is produced by NASA's CERES project, synthesizing measurements from multiple satellite instruments including CERES, MODIS, VIIRS, and geostationary imagers. It offers parameters on a 1-degree regional spatial scale, computed using the Langley Fu-Liou radiative transfer model and normalized with CERES calibration.

Use Cases

• Validating climate model outputs using top-of-atmosphere longwave and shortwave flux measurements.
• Analyzing global cloud fraction and cloud top height to study cloud feedback mechanisms.
• Investigating aerosol impacts on radiative forcing using all-sky and pristine (aerosol-free) condition fluxes.
• Studying diurnal cycles of solar irradiance and albedo using geostationary-enhanced temporal interpolation.
• Assessing surface net radiation and photosynthetically active radiation for energy budget and ecological studies.

Strengths

• Integrates data from seven instruments across multiple satellite platforms (Terra, NOAA-20, geostationary) for cross-calibration.
• Provides computed fluxes for four distinct atmospheric conditions: all-sky, clear-sky, pristine, and all-sky without aerosols.
• Uses 1-hourly geostationary data to accurately model diurnal variability between CERES observations.
• Maintains a consistent calibration by normalizing geostationary-derived fluxes with CERES-observed fluxes.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are not provided on any platform.
• The license is listed as 'other-license-specified' without detailed terms, requiring user investigation.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data collected from CERES, MODIS, VIIRS, and geostationary imagers, processed with the Langley Fu-Liou radiative transfer model using GMAO atmospheric profiles.

Time Range

2000 to present (ongoing)

Freshness

2026-03-13 08:01:34.958034

Geography

Global coverage at 1-degree regional spatial scales.