July 10 to August 2, 2001 data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument provides aerosol optical thickness over oceans and continents. The dataset, collected during the CLAMS experiment and produced by LARC_ASDC, offers high spatial resolution with 1-km pixels at nadir across 36 spectral bands. It covers a spatial region from approximately -106 to -42 degrees longitude and 18 to 57 degrees North latitude.
Use Cases
- Analyze aerosol optical thickness over the Atlantic Ocean and eastern North America using the 10x10 km pixel arrays.
- Derive aerosol size distribution over ocean pixels from the multi-spectral MODIS bands ranging from 0.4 to 14.4 μm.
- Classify aerosol types over continental landmasses within the study region using spectral sensitivity data.
- Track daily aerosol patterns and transport during the summer 2001 CLAMS campaign period.
- Validate atmospheric models with high radiometric sensitivity (12-bit) data from 29 bands at 1,000 m resolution.
Strengths
- High spatial resolution with 1-km pixels at nadir and a 2,330-km swath for broad coverage.
- Multi-spectral data from 36 bands ranging from 0.4 μm to 14.4 μm wavelength.
- High radiometric sensitivity provided by 12-bit data acquisition.
Limitations
- Very limited temporal coverage, spanning only 24 days in July-August 2001.
- Spatial coverage is restricted to a specific region over the western Atlantic and eastern North America.
- Data is over 20 years old, which may limit relevance for studying current atmospheric conditions.
Provenance
- Source
- NASA Earthdata via LARC_ASDC (Langley Research Center Atmospheric Science Data Center).
- Collection Method
- Collected by the MODIS instrument aboard a satellite during the CLAMS aircraft and lighthouse measurement campaign.
- Time Range
- July 10, 2001 to August 2, 2001.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Approximately -106 to -42 degrees longitude, 18 to 57 degrees North latitude (western Atlantic Ocean and eastern North America).