Global Nitrogen Dioxide Columns from MetOp GOME-2 Satellites

GOME-2 instruments on three MetOp satellites monitor global atmospheric trace gases, with emphasis on ozone and nitrogen dioxide. DLR generates operational level 2 products, including total NO2 columns retrieved via the DOAS method from solar back-scattered measurements. Near-real-time data is available within two hours of sensing.

Use Cases

• Modeling global NO2 pollution transport using total column density geospatial layers.
• Analyzing long-term trends in atmospheric nitrogen dioxide from the multi-satellite time series.
• Correlating NO2 column data with cloud property and ultraviolet radiation intensity retrievals.
• Validating regional air quality models with near-real-time satellite observations.
• Studying seasonal and diurnal variations in tropospheric NO2 concentrations.

Strengths

• Data continuity from three satellites launched in 2006, 2012, and 2018 provides a long-term record.
• Near-real-time products are available within two hours after sensing for timely analysis.
• Operational products generated using a standardized algorithm (GDP 4.x/UPAS) ensure consistency.

Limitations

• Specific spatial resolution, row count, and sample size metrics are not provided.
• The description lacks details on data validation levels, uncertainty estimates, and potential retrieval artifacts.
• Access requires familiarity with specialized atmospheric science data formats and tools.

Provenance

Source

DLR (German Aerospace Center) for EUMETSAT's AC-SAF.

Collection Method

Total NO2 column retrieved from GOME-2 solar back-scattered measurements (425-450 nm) using the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) method.

Time Range

Operational from MetOp-A launch (October 2006) through ongoing missions.

Freshness

null

Geography

Global