Monthly Binned Atmospheric Water Vapor Measurements from Aura Satellite

MLS/Aura Level 3 data provides monthly binned water vapor mixing ratios derived from 190 GHz radiometer measurements. Spatial coverage is near-global from -82 to +82 degrees latitude at a 4° by 5° grid resolution. The dataset is produced by the NASA GES DISC team using Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument data.

Use Cases

• Analyze lat-lon map vs pressure group data to map global water vapor distribution and variability across atmospheric pressure levels.
• Use lat vs pressure zonal mean data to study meridional (north-south) gradients and seasonal cycles of water vapor in the stratosphere.
• Investigate vortex average vs theta data to examine water vapor dynamics within the polar vortices, relevant for polar ozone chemistry.
• Leverage statistical fields (average, min, max, std dev, rms) within each data group to quantify uncertainty and extremes in monthly water vapor concentrations.

Strengths

• Near-global spatial coverage from -82 to +82 degrees latitude.
• Data includes multiple statistical measures (average, min, max, standard deviation, rms) for each binned value.
• Structured into six distinct group objects (e.g., lat-lon map vs pressure, vortex average vs theta) for varied analysis approaches.

Limitations

• Vertical resolution degrades from 1.5 km at 316 hPa to 15 km above 0.1 hPa, limiting fine-scale analysis in the upper atmosphere.
• The recommended useful vertical range is limited to between 316 and 0.00215 hPa, excluding data near the surface.
• Specific sample size (row count) and temporal coverage range are not provided in the description.

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 satellite's Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

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