OMPS_NPP_NMSO2_PCA_L2: Daily Global Sulfur Dioxide Satellite Data

OMPS_NPP_NMSO2_PCA_L2 is a NASA MEaSUREs product providing contiguous daily global monitoring of sulfur dioxide (SO2) columns. The data is retrieved from the Suomi NPP satellite's Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite Nadir Mapper spectrometer using a principal component analysis spectral fitting algorithm. This V2 product offers enhanced consistency with the Aura/OMI SO2 record and features reduced retrieval biases for anthropogenic emissions.

Use Cases

• Tracking volcanic SO2 plumes for aviation safety and eruption analysis based on global daily monitoring.
• Monitoring anthropogenic SO2 emissions from industrial sources like power plants and smelters using the PCA retrieval algorithm.
• Analyzing long-term trends in atmospheric SO2 for climate and air quality studies based on the continuity with the OMI record.
• Validating atmospheric chemistry and transport models with pixel-level SO2 column data.

Strengths

• Part of the NASA MEaSUREs program, ensuring long-term, research-quality data records.
• V2 algorithm reduces retrieval biases, especially over background regions, compared to the previous V1.2 product.
• Provides contiguous daily global coverage, enabling consistent temporal analysis.

Limitations

• Specific column names and data structure are not detailed in the available metadata.
• One source lists a last updated date of 2026-04-09, which is a future date and may indicate a metadata error.
• The dataset's size, row count, and precise temporal coverage are not specified.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) Nadir Mapper, processed with the Goddard Space Flight Center PCA algorithm.

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:15:34.465182 (Note: This is a future date and may be a metadata error.)

Geography

Global