MLS/Aura Daily Binned Nitric Acid Mixing Ratios on Assorted Grids, 2005-Present

EOS Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) daily binned nitric acid (HNO3) mixing ratio data, version 5.1. The dataset provides near-global coverage from August 2, 2005, to the present, with a spatial resolution of 4 degrees latitude by 5 degrees longitude. It is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and archived at the GES DISC.

Use Cases

• Modeling stratospheric nitric acid distribution based on daily binned data on pressure and potential temperature grids.
• Analyzing long-term trends in HNO3 concentrations for climate studies based on the 2005-present time series.
• Studying spatial patterns of atmospheric chemistry based on the near-global (-82 to +82 degrees latitude) coverage.
• Investigating polar vortex dynamics based on the 'equivalent latitude' and vortex average data groups.

Strengths

• Data version 5.1 represents a specific, documented processing standard.
• Provides near-global spatial coverage from -82 to +82 degrees latitude.
• Covers a long temporal range from August 2, 2005, to the present.
• Data is structured into six distinct group objects (e.g., lat-lon map vs pressure, zonal means) with statistical fields (average, min, max, std dev, rms).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The recommended useful vertical range is limited (215 to 1.47 hPa).

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Derived from radiances measured by the MLS 240 GHz and 190 GHz radiometers aboard the EOS Aura satellite.

Time Range

August 2, 2005 to current

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 00:32:43.247322; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Near-global (-82 to +82 degrees latitude)