Global Water Cloud Optical Thickness from GCOM-C Satellite at 1/12 Degree Resolution

GCOM-C/SGLI L3 Binned Water cloud optical thickness dataset contains global measurements of cloud optical thickness derived from the SGLI sensor onboard the JAXA GCOM-C satellite. Data is statistically binned over 8-day periods and projected onto a 1/12-degree global grid, providing average, root-mean-square, maximum, and minimum values for each cell. The dataset is produced by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) from observations beginning after the satellite's launch in December 2017.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial patterns of cloud optical thickness using the gridded average (AVE) and root-mean-square (RMS) values.
• Track temporal changes in cloud properties by comparing 8-day binned statistics across different observation dates (Date).
• Assess data quality and reliability for specific grid cells using the quality flag (QA_flag) and the number of used data points (Nused).
• Identify extreme cloud events or anomalies by examining the maximum (MAX) and minimum (MIN) values within each statistical bin.
• Study cloud climatology by aggregating the 8-day binned products into longer-term monthly or seasonal averages.

Strengths

• Global spatial coverage with a consistent 1/12-degree grid resolution.
• Includes multiple statistical measures per grid cell: average, RMS, max, min, and data counts.
• Data is part of a long-term observation mission from the GCOM-C satellite, launched in 2017.
• Available in multiple temporal aggregations: 1-day, 8-day, and 1-month binned statistics.

Limitations

• Specific row count and total file size are not provided in the description.
• The 8-day binning period may smooth out short-term, high-frequency cloud variability.
• Relies on the accuracy of the SGLI sensor's retrieval algorithm for cloud optical thickness.

Provenance

Source

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Collection Method

Derived from Level 1B and Level 2 products from the SGLI sensor on the GCOM-C satellite, statistically binned in time and space.

Time Range

Observations began after the satellite launch on December 23, 2017; specific end date is unknown.

Freshness

Update frequency aligns with satellite overpasses and 8-day processing cycles; specific last update date is unknown.

Geography

Global coverage.