MERRA-2 Global Moist Processes Diagnostics at Pressure Levels

NASA's MERRA-2 global atmospheric reanalysis provides 3-hourly time-averaged data on moist processes diagnostics across 42 pressure levels. The dataset covers the period from 1980 to the present, with a latency of approximately three weeks. It is produced by NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office using the GEOS version 5.12.4 model.

Use Cases

• Analyzing convective rainwater source fields to study the intensity and distribution of global precipitation events.
• Modeling atmospheric moisture transport by examining 3D flux of liquid and ice convective precipitation across pressure levels.
• Validating climate model outputs for moist processes using the 3-hourly assimilated diagnostics spanning decades.
• Investigating the vertical structure of nonconvective precipitation through the 3D flux data on 42 pressure levels.

Strengths

• Global coverage with a 0.625 x 0.5 degree spatial resolution.
• Temporal coverage from 1980 to present, providing over 40 years of continuous data.
• Data is available at 42 distinct pressure levels for detailed vertical analysis.

Limitations

• Data has a latency of approximately three weeks, limiting near-real-time applications.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and sample sizes are not provided in the description.
• The dataset undergoes reprocessing, leading to filename changes that can complicate version tracking.

Provenance

Source

NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) via the GES DISC.

Collection Method

Assimilated reanalysis produced using the Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS) version 5.12.4.

Time Range

1980 to present

Freshness

Updated with a latency of ~3 weeks after the end of each month.

Geography

Global