Monthly Sulfur Dioxide Measurements From Aura Satellite Limb Sounder

MLS/Aura satellite data provides monthly binned sulfur dioxide (SO2) mixing ratios on assorted vertical grids. Spatial coverage is near-global from -82 to +82 degrees latitude at a 4x5 degree resolution. The data is produced by NASA's GES DISC from Microwave Limb Sounder radiances.

Use Cases

• Analyze SO2 lat-lon map vs pressure data to track the transport and dispersion of volcanic plumes.
• Study long-term trends in stratospheric SO2 using the lat vs pressure zonal mean group for different pressure levels.
• Compare vortex average vs theta data to investigate polar stratospheric cloud chemistry and seasonal variations.
• Validate atmospheric model outputs against the dataset's average, min, max, and standard deviation fields for SO2 concentration.
• Map global SO2 distribution using the geolocation fields and grid attributes in the lat-lon map groups.

Strengths

• Near-global spatial coverage from -82 to +82 degrees latitude.
• Vertical data provided on multiple grids (pressure and theta) with a resolution of about 3 km.
• Each data group includes statistical fields: average, min, max, standard deviation, and RMS.

Limitations

• Useful vertical range is limited to between 215 and 10 hPa, excluding near-surface and upper stratosphere measurements.
• Spatial resolution of 4 degrees latitude by 5 degrees longitude is coarse for regional-scale analysis.
• Data quality and interpretation require consulting the specific MLS Level 2 quality document chapters.

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).

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

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