LRIRN6L2IPAT: Nimbus-6 Satellite Temperature and Ozone Profiles, 1975-1976

Nimbus-6 Limb Radiance Inversion Radiometer (LRIR) Level 2 data provides daily vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and ozone concentration. The dataset contains up to 13 orbits per day with up to 115 profiles per orbit, covering latitudes from -64 to +84 degrees at 17 pressure levels from 100 to 0.1 mbar. Data were collected by NASA from 20 June 1975 to 6 January 1976 under the principal investigation of Dr. John Gille from NCAR.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical stratospheric temperature trends based on the 15-micron carbon dioxide band radiance measurements.
• Studying ozone concentration profiles and variability based on the 9.7-micron ozone band radiance data.
• Validating or calibrating modern atmospheric models using the calibrated radiance data included in the product.
• Investigating the vertical structure of the atmosphere from 15 to 64 km based on the 17 standard pressure level profiles.

Strengths

• Provides vertical profiles at 17 standard pressure levels from 100 to 0.1 mbar, offering a structured vertical resolution.
• Covers a specific temporal range from 20 June 1975 to 6 January 1976, documenting a distinct historical period.
• Includes spatial coverage from latitude -64 to +84 degrees, capturing a broad latitudinal range.
• Contains data from four distinct spectral regions, including carbon dioxide, ozone, and water vapor bands.

Limitations

• Data collection ended on 6 January 1976 due to instrument detector temperature issues, limiting the temporal scope.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale statistical analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC).

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the Nimbus-6 Limb Radiance Inversion Radiometer (LRIR) instrument.

Time Range

20 June 1975 to 6 January 1976

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 00:54:41.554381; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Latitude -64 to +84 degrees.