Daily Global Hydrogen Cyanide Mixing Ratios from Aura Satellite

MLS/Aura Level 3 data provides daily binned hydrogen cyanide (HCN) mixing ratios on assorted vertical grids. Spatial coverage is near-global from -82 to +82 degrees latitude at 4 by 5-degree resolution, with a useful vertical range from 21.5 to 0.1 hPa. The dataset 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 track global HCN plumes from wildfires over time.
• Use the lat vs pressure zonal mean data to study the vertical and meridional distribution of HCN in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere.
• Investigate vortex average vs potential temperature data to understand HCN behavior in polar regions during winter.
• Apply statistical fields (average, min, max, std dev, rms) within each data group to quantify uncertainty and variability in HCN measurements.

Strengths

• Near-global spatial coverage from -82 to +82 degrees latitude.
• Data is provided on multiple vertical coordinate systems (pressure, potential temperature, equivalent latitude) for flexible analysis.
• Each data group includes statistical measures (average, min, max, standard deviation, RMS) for uncertainty assessment.

Limitations

• The specific row count and total file size are not provided in the description.
• The vertical resolution varies between 8 and 12 km, which may be coarse for some fine-scale atmospheric process studies.
• Data usefulness is constrained to a recommended vertical range of 21.5 to 0.1 hPa.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Derived from radiances measured primarily by the 190 GHz radiometer on the EOS Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS).

Geography

Near-global, from -82 to +82 degrees latitude at 4 degrees latitude by 5 degrees longitude resolution.