Global Daily Aerosol Properties from GCOM-C Satellite

Global daily satellite data provides aerosol optical thickness, Angstrom exponent, and single scattering albedo measurements. The dataset is derived from the SGLI sensor onboard the JAXA GCOM-C satellite, launched in December 2017. It supports the improvement of global warming prediction accuracy.

Use Cases

• Modeling atmospheric radiative transfer by using Aerosol Optical Thickness (AROT) and Single Scattering Albedo (ASSA) as inputs.
• Analyzing aerosol particle size distribution trends via the Angstrom Exponent (ARAE) column over land and ocean.
• Quantifying retrieval uncertainty in climate studies by incorporating the AROT_uncertainty, ARAE_uncertainty, and ASSA_uncertainty fields.
• Assimilating daily, global AROT and ARAE data into numerical weather and climate prediction models to improve forecast accuracy.

Strengths

• Global spatial coverage with a daily temporal resolution.
• Provides three core aerosol properties (AROT, ARAE, ASSA) plus their associated uncertainty estimates.
• Data is produced by JAXA using a defined algorithm based on skyradiometer observations for consistency.
• Spatial resolution of 1/24 degree (~4.6 km at the equator) for detailed analysis.

Limitations

• Aerosol retrieval assumes fixed particle shapes, refractive indices, and size distributions, which may not capture all real-world variability.
• The algorithm's assumptions on 'reasonable aerosol parameters' could introduce systematic biases in certain regions.
• Unclear sample size (number of daily scenes or pixels) and potential for data gaps due to cloud cover or sensor issues.

Provenance

Source

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Collection Method

Derived from Level 1B products of the SGLI sensor onboard the GCOM-C satellite using a numerical prediction algorithm.

Time Range

From satellite launch in December 2017 onward.

Freshness

Daily updates. Current product version is Version 3.

Geography

Global.