Daily Atmospheric Hypochlorous Acid Measurements from Aura Satellite

MLS/Aura Level 3 Daily Binned Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) Mixing Ratio V005 provides near-global atmospheric data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument. Data is binned daily on assorted vertical grids including pressure and potential temperature coordinates. The dataset is produced by the GES DISC and uses data from the EOS Aura satellite's 640 GHz radiometer.

Use Cases

• Analyze lat-lon map vs pressure group data to track global HOCl distribution and its role in ozone chemistry.
• Use lat vs pressure zonal mean groups to study hemispheric and seasonal variations in hypochlorous acid.
• Compare ascending and descending orbit profile groups to investigate diurnal cycles of HOCl in the stratosphere.
• Leverage equivalent latitude vs potential temperature zonal mean data to examine polar vortex dynamics and chlorine activation.
• Apply statistical fields (average, min, max, std dev) within each group to quantify uncertainty and variability in HOCl measurements.

Strengths

• Near-global spatial coverage from -82 to +82 degrees latitude.
• Data is subdivided into specific observational conditions (ascending/descending orbit, daytime/nighttime) for detailed analysis.
• Vertical resolution is approximately 6 km within the recommended useful range of 10 to 2.15 hPa.

Limitations

• Specific row count, file size, and total temporal coverage are not provided in the description.
• Data usefulness is constrained to a specific vertical range (10 to 2.15 hPa), limiting tropospheric or higher stratospheric analysis.
• Users must consult external documentation (EOS MLS Level 2 Version 5 Quality Document) for proper usage guidance.

Provenance

Source

GES_DISC (NASA's Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center).

Collection Method

Derived from radiances measured by the 640 GHz radiometer on the EOS Aura satellite's Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument.

Geography

Near-global, from 82 degrees South to 82 degrees North latitude at 4° lat by 5° lon resolution.