GEWEXSRB_Rel4-IP: Global Longwave Radiation Fluxes and Ancillary Data
Updated 1mo ago
10filesBIN
Available on 2 platforms
Sign in to view source links and access this dataset
Description
Global fields of 26 longwave radiative parameters at the surface, top of atmosphere, and atmospheric pressure levels, derived from the GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget Project. The primary dataset provides monthly averages from January 1988 through December 2009, while an ancillary product offers 3-hourly, land-only meteorology and cloud data from 1983 to 1987. Data inputs include cloud information from ISCCP HXS, meteorology from ISCCP nnHIRS, SeaFlux SST, LandFlux, and MERRA-2.
Use Cases
Validating climate model simulations of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) using the all-sky, clear-sky, and pristine-sky TOA upward fluxes.
Analyzing trends in surface and atmospheric heating rates using upward and downward longwave fluxes at the tropopause, 200hPa, 500hPa, and surface.
Studying cloud radiative effects by comparing all-sky and clear-sky flux conditions across a 22-year period.
Assimilating ancillary land surface conditions, such as skin temperature, snow/ice amount, and precipitable water, into regional climate models.
Strengths
Provides a 22-year continuous global record (1988-2009) of longwave radiation parameters, supporting climate trend analysis.
Includes derived fluxes for multiple atmospheric levels and sky conditions (all-sky, clear-sky, pristine-sky), enabling detailed process studies.
Integrates data from multiple authoritative sources like ISCCP, SeaFlux, LandFlux, and MERRA-2, enhancing reliability.
Limitations
Metadata completeness is low; specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided on any platform.
Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between sources (2009-12-31 vs. 2026-04-10), creating uncertainty about provenance maintenance.
Temporal coverage ends in 2009, limiting analysis of recent climate trends.
Provenance
Source
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) World Climate Research Programme/Global Energy and Water-Cycle Experiment (WCRP/GEWEX) Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) Project.
Collection Method
Derived using the GEWEX SRB Longwave algorithm from inputs including ISCCP HXS cloud data, ISCCP nnHIRS meteorology, SeaFlux SST, LandFlux, and MERRA-2.
Time Range
January 1983 to December 2009 (primary product: 1988-2009; ancillary: 1983-1987).
Freshness
2026-04-10 03:12:41.720144
Geography
Global
License is listed as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov; users should verify specific terms. Data collection is stated as complete.