PACE HARP2 Level-2 Regional Cloud Optical Properties: Near Real-time Satellite Data

Near real-time cloud property data derived from the GISS Polarimetric Cloud algorithm on NASA's PACE satellite. The Ocean Biology DAAC produces this snapshot using the best-available ancillary meteorological and ozone data during a single orbit. Several experimental variables are included for diagnostic purposes and future refinement.

Use Cases

• Model cloud radiative forcing based on cloud optical thickness and liquid water path variables.
• Analyze cloud droplet size distribution using cloud droplet effective radius and number concentration.
• Study cloud top properties and thermodynamics using retrieved altitude, pressure, and temperature.
• Investigate novel polarimetric retrievals using experimental variables like the cloud liquid index and Rainbow Fourier Transform outputs.

Strengths

• Includes novel polarimetric cloud retrievals implemented on a global scale.
• Provides near real-time snapshots of cloud properties from a single satellite orbit.
• Combines data from the GPC algorithm with the OCI CLOUD suite for core geophysical variables.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

NASA Ocean Biology DAAC (OB_CLOUD)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the PACE HARP2 instrument and the GISS Polarimetric Cloud algorithm.

Freshness

Near real-time

Geography

Regional (coverage implied by satellite orbit)