OMCLDO2_CPR: Cloud Pressure and Fraction from OMI Satellite

OMI/Aura satellite data provides a 200-km swath subset of cloud pressure and fraction, collocated with the CloudSat track for the A-Train mission. This Level-2 global product uses the DOAS technique to analyze O2-O2 absorption at 477 nm, yielding parameters like cloud fraction, slant columns, and viewing angles at a pixel resolution of 13x24 km² at nadir. The subset is designed for cross-sensor validation but supports broader atmospheric research applications.

Use Cases

• Validating CloudSat cloud retrievals based on collocated OMI cloud pressure and fraction measurements.
• Studying cloud-top pressure and coverage for climate modeling based on spectral O2-O2 absorption data.
• Analyzing satellite viewing geometry effects on retrievals using included solar and satellite viewing angles.
• Assessing data quality and uncertainty for downstream applications using provided quality flags and error estimates.

Strengths

• Provides specific pixel-level resolution of 13x24 km² at nadir.
• Contains multiple derived parameters including cloud pressure, fraction, slant columns, and uncertainty estimates.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov signals importance and curation.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row counts are unknown, limiting precise technical assessment.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (2026-04 09 and 2018-03-02) create uncertainty about data freshness.
• Sparse metadata on file size, author, and detailed license terms.

Provenance

Source

GES_DISC (Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the OMI instrument on the Aura spacecraft, using the DOAS spectral fitting technique.

Time Range

null

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:30:05.471693 (most recent date, though future-dated)

Geography

Global coverage, subset to a 200-km swath along the CloudSat track.