Daily Global Carbon Monoxide Mixing Ratios from Aura Satellite

August 2004 to present daily binned measurements of atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO) mixing ratios from the Aura satellite's Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS). The dataset provides near-global coverage from -82 to +82 degrees latitude at a 4°x5° spatial resolution across multiple vertical grids. It is produced by the MLS science team and archived by NASA's GES DISC.

Use Cases

• Analyze lat-lon map vs pressure group data to track seasonal and interannual variability of CO concentrations in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere.
• Use lat vs pressure zonal mean data to study hemispheric differences and vertical transport of pollution plumes.
• Investigate polar vortex dynamics using the vortex average vs theta group data during winter months.
• Apply statistical fields (average, min, max, std dev, rms) within each data group to quantify measurement uncertainty and variability for model evaluation.

Strengths

• Continuous daily coverage from August 2004 to the present, providing a long-term record.
• Near-global spatial coverage (-82 to +82 degrees latitude) at a defined 4°x5° grid resolution.
• Data provided on multiple vertical grids (pressure and theta) with associated statistical fields (average, std dev, etc.).

Limitations

• Spatial resolution is coarse (4°x5°), limiting analysis of small-scale atmospheric features.
• Vertical range is constrained to between 215 and 0.00464 hPa, excluding surface-level measurements.
• Data quality and interpretation require consulting the specific MLS Level 2 Version 4 Quality Document.

Provenance

Source

Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument on NASA's EOS Aura satellite, processed and archived by the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC).

Collection Method

Derived from radiances measured by the 640 GHz radiometer, binned daily onto assorted vertical grids.

Time Range

August 2, 2004 to present.

Freshness

Updated with current data; coverage is from 2004 to present.

Geography

Near-global, -82 to +82 degrees latitude.