SWDB_L3MC05: Monthly Global Aerosol Climatology at 0.5 Degrees

GES DISC's SeaWiFS Deep Blue Level 3 monthly climatology product provides a global, gridded long-term average of aerosol optical thickness. The data is derived from SeaWiFS satellite observations and is presented on a 0.5 x 0.5 degree spatial grid. It represents a processed climatology, likely summarizing monthly aerosol conditions over the instrument's operational period.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term global aerosol distribution patterns based on monthly climatology data.
• Validating or initializing climate model aerosol components using gridded 0.5-degree resolution data.
• Studying aerosol optical depth thickness and Ångström exponent for atmospheric composition research.
• Investigating aerosol radiative forcing effects on a climatological timescale.

Strengths

• Provides a processed, stable climatology product derived from satellite observations, useful for baseline studies.
• Offers global spatial coverage at a consistent 0.5 x 0.5 degree grid resolution.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov signals its importance and curation.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low; specific column names, row counts, and exact temporal coverage are not provided.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (2010 and 2026) create uncertainty about data freshness and maintenance.
• Documentation gaps exist, with platform descriptions being sparse and repetitive.

Provenance

Source

GES DISC (Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center)

Collection Method

Derived from SeaWiFS Deep Blue Level 3 monthly gridded satellite data.

Time Range

Climatology period derived from SeaWiFS operational lifetime, but exact years are not specified.

Freshness

2026-04-09 22:31:30.326031 (most recent date cited, though conflicting with an older date)

Geography

Global