MISR Level 3 Cloud Top Height-Optical Depth Product provides monthly aggregated data from NASA's Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer instrument. The dataset contains derived geophysical parameters for clouds and aerosols, generated by the LARC_CLOUD organization. It supports analysis of monthly, seasonal, and long-term trends.
Use Cases
- Modeling cloud radiative effects by correlating cloud top height with optical depth.
- Analyzing seasonal trends in aerosol-cloud interactions using monthly aggregated optical depth.
- Validating climate model outputs for cloud distribution and height.
- Classifying cloud types based on multi-angle reflectance and derived height parameters.
Strengths
- Data from a specialized instrument with 9 viewing angles for 3D structure.
- Systematic global coverage designed for long-term trend monitoring.
- Provides two key cloud parameters (height and optical depth) in a single product.
Limitations
- Specific row count, spatial resolution, and temporal coverage for the month are unknown.
- Product is Level 3 (gridded/aggregated), losing native high-resolution Level 2 detail.
- Accuracy may be reduced for thin clouds or complex multi-layer cloud scenes.
Provenance
- Source
- NASA Earthdata (LARC_CLOUD organization).
- Collection Method
- Derived from Level 2 data collected by the MISR instrument on the Terra satellite, which images each surface point from 9 angles in 4 spectral bands.
- Time Range
- Covers one month (specific month unknown).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Global coverage.