ISCCP_B3_NAT: Global Satellite Cloud Radiances at 30 km Resolution

ISCCP_B3_NAT provides original satellite radiance data sampled to a 30 km spatial and 3-hour temporal resolution. The dataset, established in 1982 by the World Climate Research Program, offers a globally uniform, calibrated set of measurements from up to five geostationary and two polar-orbiting satellites. It supports detailed studies of cloud processes, the Earth's radiation budget, and the hydrological cycle across phases from 1983 onward.

Use Cases

• Deriving global cloud property distributions based on calibrated radiance measurements.
• Studying diurnal, seasonal, and inter-annual cloud variations using 3-hourly global data.
• Improving cloud parameterization in climate models with a normalized, long-term radiance record.
• Analyzing the role of clouds in the Earth's radiation budget and hydrological cycle.

Strengths

• Provides a globally uniform set of measurements due to normalization to a standard calibration.
• Offers long-term temporal coverage with data collection starting in 1983.
• Combines observations from multiple satellite platforms (up to 7) for comprehensive spatial sampling.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low; specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided.
• There is a conflict in reported freshness: one source lists a last update in 2026, while another indicates 2009, suggesting potential metadata staleness.
• The native data format (BIN) and sparse documentation may present an access barrier.

Provenance

Source

International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP), coordinated by the World Climate Research Program.

Collection Method

Collected and analyzed from several instruments on multiple geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite platforms.

Time Range

1983 onward (with distinct phases: 1983-1995 and 1995 onwards).

Freshness

2026-04-10 (conflict with source reporting 2009-12-31)

Geography

Global.