Daily Global Cloud Ice Water Content from Aura Satellite Microwave Sounder

MLS/Aura Level 3 data provides daily binned measurements of cloud ice water content derived from 240 GHz radiometer radiances. The dataset offers near-global coverage from -82 to +82 degrees latitude with a 4°x5° spatial grid and vertical profiles from 215 to 82.5 hPa. It is produced by the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) using the EOS Aura Microwave Limb Sounder.

Use Cases

• Analyze lat-lon map vs pressure group data to study the global spatial distribution of cloud ice.
• Use lat vs pressure zonal mean data to investigate meridional and vertical trends in ice water content.
• Examine the vortex average vs potential temperature group for polar atmospheric studies.
• Leverage statistical fields like average, min, max, and standard deviation within each group for uncertainty quantification.
• Correlate equivalent latitude vs potential temperature zonal mean data with atmospheric dynamics and transport processes.

Strengths

• Near-global spatial coverage from -82 to +82 degrees latitude.
• Data is binned on a consistent 4-degree latitude by 5-degree longitude grid.
• Vertical profiles are provided across a recommended range from 215 to 82.5 hPa with ~3 km resolution.
• Each data group includes multiple statistical measures: average, min, max, standard deviation, and RMS.

Limitations

• Specific row count, temporal coverage, and update frequency are not provided in the description.
• Useful data is constrained to a specific vertical range (215-82.5 hPa), limiting analysis outside this atmospheric layer.
• The spatial resolution of 4°x5° may be too coarse for regional or mesoscale cloud studies.

Provenance

Source

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC).

Collection Method

Derived from radiances measured by the 240 GHz radiometer on the EOS Aura satellite's Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument.

Geography

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