OMPS-NPP: Near Real-Time Aerosol Index from Satellite Swaths

Near real-time orbital swath data provides daily global measurements of atmospheric aerosols. The aerosol index is derived from normalized radiances using two wavelength pairs at 340 and 378.5 nanometers. The product also contains ancillary measurements of normalized radiances, reflectivity, and cloud fraction.

Use Cases

• Tracking global dust and smoke plume transport based on the aerosol index.
• Monitoring volcanic ash dispersion for aviation safety using geospatial swath data.
• Studying aerosol-cloud interactions using ancillary cloud fraction measurements.
• Assessing near real-time air quality events from satellite-derived reflectivity and radiance data.

Strengths

• Provides near real-time data, supporting time-sensitive monitoring applications.
• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData signals its importance and reliability.
• Derived from specific, calibrated wavelength pairs (340 nm and 378.5 nm).

Limitations

• Column names and data structure are not detailed in the provided metadata.
• The 'other-license-specified' license on Data.gov lacks clear, standard terms for reuse.
• A conflict exists: Data.gov lists a last updated date in the future (2026-04-09), which is not plausible.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the OMPS-NPP instrument.

Time Range

Orbital swaths provide daily, near real-time coverage.

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:16:26.975143 (as listed on Data.gov, though this future date is suspect)

Geography

Global