Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget Near Real-Time Radiance Data

Near real-time Level 2.0 radiance and flux data is provided from GERB instruments within 4 hours of acquisition. The Institut Royal Meteorologique de Belgique (RMIB) operates the On Line Short-term Service (ROLSS) for data distribution. Data is automatically removed from the FTP site after 40 days, with long-term archiving handled by the GERB Ground Segment Processing System at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal trends in top-of-atmosphere radiance and flux measurements from the GERB instrument time-series.
• Validate climate model outputs by comparing simulated radiative fluxes with observed GERB geospatial data.
• Study short-term variations in Earth's energy budget using near real-time radiance data delivered within 4 hours.
• Correlate GERB-derived radiative fluxes with other atmospheric parameters for climate feedback analysis.

Strengths

• Data is provided in near real-time, with a target latency of less than 4 hours from acquisition.
• Data is processed to Level 2.0, indicating derived geophysical variables (radiances and fluxes).
• A defined data lifecycle is enforced, with automatic removal from the short-term service after 40 days.

Limitations

• The primary access point only provides a short-term window of 40 days; historical analysis requires accessing a separate long-term archive.
• Specific data volume, spatial resolution, and temporal frequency are not detailed in the provided description.
• The description does not specify the calibration or validation status of the near real-time data stream.

Provenance

Source

Institut Royal Meteorologique de Belgique (RMIB) / On Line Short-term Service (ROLSS).

Collection Method

Data acquired from the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instruments on satellite platforms.

Freshness

Near real-time, with data typically available within 4 hours of satellite observation.

Geography

Coverage area is determined by the field of view of the geostationary satellite hosting the GERB instrument, typically covering a large portion of the Earth's disk.