FY-3A Satellite Outgoing Longwave Radiation with 26 Spectral Channels

56 pixels per satellite scan line provide geolocated measurements of Earth's thermal energy emission. The dataset contains pre-processed level 1 data from the FY-3A IRAS instrument, including raw digital counts, brightness temperatures, and calibration coefficients. It is produced by the SCIOPS organization from quality-controlled and navigated raw package data.

Use Cases

• Calculate Earth's energy budget by analyzing outgoing_longwave_radiation data from the 26 spectral channels.
• Validate atmospheric models using geolocated brightness_temperature measurements across different land_cover types.
• Assess data quality for climate records by examining the quality_flags and calibration_coefficients for each scan line.
• Study surface-atmosphere interactions by correlating surface_elevation and land_sea_mask with observed radiation values.
• Correct for observational geometry in radiative transfer models using the provided solar_zenith_angle and satellite_zenith_angle.

Strengths

• Includes 26 distinct spectral channels for detailed spectral analysis of outgoing radiation.
• Provides per-scan-line calibration_coefficients for both VIS-NIR and infrared channels to ensure data accuracy.
• Contains multiple ancillary data fields like land_sea_mask and surface_elevation to support geophysical analysis.

Limitations

• The spatial resolution is defined only as 56 pixels per scan line, with no explicit ground footprint size provided.
• Sample size and temporal coverage are unknown, limiting assessment of dataset scale and historical span.
• Relies on pre-processed level 1 data, where specific details of the quality_control and navigation algorithms are not described.

Provenance

Source

NASA Earthdata, from the FY-3A satellite's Infrared Atmospheric Sounder (IRAS) instrument.

Collection Method

Derived from level 0 raw package data through quality control, Earth navigation, and calibration processes.

Geography

Global coverage from the FY-3A satellite's orbit.