Monthly Global Water Cloud Optical Thickness Maps from GCOM-C Satellite

Satellite-derived maps of water cloud optical thickness, a dimensionless measure of cloud density, produced monthly at a 1/12-degree spatial resolution. The data is generated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) from the SGLI sensor onboard the GCOM-C satellite, which was launched in December 2017. Level 3 statistical products include average values and quality flags for each grid cell over one-month periods.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial and temporal trends in the `water_cloud_optical_thickness` average values to study cloud-climate feedback mechanisms.
• Validate and calibrate climate models by comparing simulated cloud optical properties against the satellite-derived `AVE` statistics.
• Filter data for regional studies using the `QA_flag` to ensure analysis is based on high-quality retrievals.
• Assess interannual variability in cloud properties by aggregating monthly `AVE` maps across multiple years.

Strengths

• Global spatial coverage enables planet-wide climate analysis.
• Provides data at a consistent 1/12-degree spatial resolution, offering detailed geographical information.
• Long-term observational record supported by the GCOM-C satellite mission launched in 2017.
• Includes multiple statistical periods (1-day, 8-day, 1-month) for flexibility in temporal analysis.

Limitations

• Specific row count, file size, and exact temporal coverage are not provided in the description.
• Data is a derived statistical product (Level 3), not raw sensor measurements, which may smooth out fine-scale variability.
• Relies on specific sensor algorithms (SGLI) whose retrieval accuracy for cloud optical thickness can be affected by atmospheric conditions.

Provenance

Source

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Collection Method

Derived from Level 1B and Level 2 products of the SGLI sensor onboard the GCOM-C satellite, statistically processed in time and space domains.

Time Range

Time series begins after the satellite's launch on December 23, 2017; specific end date is unknown.

Freshness

Update frequency is monthly, but the specific last update date is unknown.

Geography

Global coverage.