PREFIRE Cloud Properties: Far-Infrared Measurements for Polar Energy Budget

PREFIRE's dual CubeSats carry a 63-channel spectrometer measuring mid- to far-infrared radiation from 5 to 53 µm, a spectral range where most polar emissions occur but which has not been measured on a large scale. The dataset provides retrieved cloud top pressure, cloud optical depth, and cloud particle diameter to fill knowledge gaps in the global energy budget for assimilation into climate models. Its primary purpose is to inform a coarse spectral flux product, and the collection is not suitable for detailed analysis of specific cloud properties.

Use Cases

• Assimilating cloud property estimates into global circulation models to improve future climate predictions.
• Analyzing coarse-scale relationships between far-infrared spectral radiance and cloud optical depth/thickness.
• Studying the spatial distribution of cloud microphysics (particle diameter) in polar regions.
• Providing input data for generating a spectral flux product (PREFIRE_SAT1_2B-FLX) via a look-up table.

Strengths

• Provides unique far-infrared (5-53 µm) spectral measurements focused on polar regions, addressing a known observational gap.
• Data collection is global with the greatest concentration in the polar regions, offering targeted coverage for its scientific objective.
• Derived from a systematic retrieval using an Optimal Estimation method with inputs from cloud mask and auxiliary meteorology data.

Limitations

• Explicit column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided in any source, limiting precise technical assessment.
• The data is intended for coarse flux product generation and is explicitly noted as not suitable for analysis of specific cloud properties.
• Spatial resolution is coarse, with initial scene footprints of 11.8 km x 34.8 km and gaps of ~24.2 km between scenes.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Retrieved from PREFIRE Satellite 1 Thermal Infrared Spectrometer (TIRS-PREFIRE) radiance data using an Optimal Estimation retrieval via a radiative transfer model.

Time Range

Science data retrieval started July 24, 2024 and is ongoing.

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:10:40.026754

Geography

Global, with the greatest concentration of data in the polar regions.