Monthly Diurnal Turbulence Diagnostics on 42 Pressure Levels

M2TUNPTRB provides 3-dimensional monthly diurnal means of assimilated turbulence diagnostics, including total scalar diffusivity and Richardson number. The dataset covers the period from 1980 to the present, with a latency of approximately three weeks after each month's end. NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office produced this data using the Goddard Earth Observing System Model version 5.12.4.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the vertical profile of total momentum diffusivity across 42 pressure levels to study atmospheric mixing.
• Investigating diurnal cycles in turbulence metrics like the Richardson number from Louis at 3-hour intervals (e.g., 01:30, 04:30 UTC).
• Validating numerical weather prediction model outputs against reanalysis data for total scalar diffusivity fields.
• Studying long-term trends in assimilated turbulence diagnostics from 1980 to present for climate change impact assessments.

Strengths

• Data is produced by NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, an authoritative source for atmospheric reanalysis.
• Provides continuous temporal coverage from 1980 to the present, enabling long-term trend analysis.
• Includes diagnostics on 42 distinct pressure levels, offering detailed vertical resolution.

Limitations

• The dataset has a latency of about three weeks, making it unsuitable for real-time or near-real-time applications.
• Data is reprocessed periodically, and filename changes between versions can create version management challenges.
• As a global reanalysis product, it may smooth over or misrepresent highly localized turbulence events.

Provenance

Source

NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) via the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC).

Collection Method

Assimilation of observational data into the Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS) version 5.12.4 to produce a retrospective analysis (reanalysis).

Time Range

1980 to present.

Freshness

Updated monthly with a ~3-week latency.

Geography

Global coverage at a 0.625 x 0.5 degree horizontal resolution.