Global Planetary Boundary Layer Height Climatology from GPS Radio Occultation

A six-satellite constellation launched in 2006 provides this seasonal average climatology of global planetary boundary layer height. The data are derived from GPS radio occultation measurements by COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3, TerraSAR-X, KOMPSAT-5, and PAZ satellites, using an algorithm that finds the minimum vertical gradient of refractivity. This method is designed to locate the transition height between the free troposphere and the boundary layer.

Use Cases

• Validating and improving the representation of the planetary boundary layer in global climate models based on the seasonal climatology.
• Analyzing spatial and seasonal variability in atmospheric mixing depth using the global, multi-year satellite measurements.
• Studying the relationship between boundary layer height and other atmospheric parameters using the derived refractivity gradient profiles.

Strengths

• Derived from a multi-satellite constellation, providing globally distributed measurements across different local times.
• Uses open-loop tracking of GPS signals, which is cited as essential for high-quality PBL height estimation, especially at low latitudes.
• Represents the latest version of the collection, superseding previous iterations.

Limitations

• Column names and specific data structure are not provided in any source, limiting immediate usability.
• The 'last updated' metadata from Data.gov (2026) is implausibly future-dated and conflicts with the temporal context of the described mission (launched 2006).
• Row counts and file sizes are unknown across all platforms.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Derived from GPS radio occultation measurements by COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3, TerraSAR-X, KOMPSAT-5, and PAZ satellites.

Time Range

Seasonal averages; mission constellation launched in 2006.

Freshness

2026-04-10 02:13:43.997909 (Data.gov), but this date is likely erroneous.

Geography

Global