Aqua Satellite Aerosol Measurements Along MLS Track

MODIS/Aqua Aerosol 5-Min L2 Swath Subset 10km along MLS V002 (MAM04S0) is a subset of the MODIS Level-2 aerosol product, selecting data within a 200 km cross-track swath along the MLS field of view. The subset preserves all original along-track pixels and provides aerosol optical thickness, size distribution, mass concentration, and ancillary parameters. The dataset is maintained by NASA's GES DISC and was last updated in January 2008.

Use Cases

• Analyze aerosol optical thickness and size distribution across a 200 km swath to study regional pollution plumes.
• Correlate aerosol mass concentration measurements with MLS atmospheric profiles for validation studies.
• Map spatial variability of aerosol properties along the MLS track using the preserved along-track pixels.
• Use quality assurance parameters to filter data for reliable analysis of aerosol optical properties.

Strengths

• Provides a focused 200 km cross-track subset for targeted analysis along MLS orbit paths.
• Preserves all original along-track MODIS pixels, maintaining longitudinal data continuity.

Limitations

• Data last updated in 2008, limiting relevance for contemporary atmospheric studies.
• Cross-track resolution is limited to 21 pixels (approx. 200 km), reducing fine-scale spatial detail.

Provenance

Source

NASA GES DISC

Collection Method

Subset selection from MODIS/Aqua MYD04_L2 product within +-100 km of MLS track.

Geography

Global over ocean and near-global over land along MLS orbit tracks.