CERES ERBE-like Monthly Averages: Top-of-Atmosphere Fluxes from TRMM Satellite

Global monthly averages of shortwave and long-wave radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere, collected by the CERES PFM instrument on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. The data are spatially averaged to 2.5-, 5-, and 10-degree regions and zonal bands, and include albedo and net flux calculations. This Edition 2 product was produced by NASA, with data collection starting after the instrument's launch on November 27, 1997.

Use Cases

• Modeling Earth's energy budget based on top-of-atmosphere shortwave and long-wave fluxes.
• Analyzing regional and zonal albedo variations based on spatially nested 2.5- to 10-degree averages.
• Studying diurnal cycles of atmospheric radiation using derived hourly averages over a month.
• Validating climate models with satellite-derived global monthly average fluxes.

Strengths

• Data collection is described as complete, providing a finalized record.
• Provides nested spatial averages at 2.5-, 5-, and 10-degree resolutions, as well as zonal and global averages.
• Based on a follow-on mission (CERES) to the established ERBE program, suggesting methodological continuity.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Radiometric measurements from the CERES PFM broadband instrument onboard the TRMM satellite.

Time Range

Collection began after the November 27, 1997 launch; specific end date not stated.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 05:06:37.679286; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global coverage, with data nested into regional, zonal, and global averages.