S5P_L2__O3_TOT: Sentinel-5P Total Ozone Column Measurements

Sentinel-5P TROPOMI provides total vertical column ozone measurements at a high spatial resolution of approximately 5.5 km at nadir. The data is processed using the Direct-fitting algorithm (S5P_TO3_GODFIT), which compares simulated and measured backscattered radiances. This product is part of the first Atmospheric Composition Sentinel mission, a joint initiative between the European Space Agency and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Use Cases

• Monitoring stratospheric ozone layer health based on total vertical column ozone measurements.
• Assessing regional air quality and pollution events using high-resolution (~5.5 km) spatial data.
• Validating atmospheric chemistry models with ozone effective temperature data.
• Studying long-term ozone trends from the time-series data provided by the satellite mission.

Strengths

• Provides high spatial resolution data at approximately 5.5 km at nadir.
• Uses a sophisticated Direct-fitting algorithm (S5P_TO3_GODFIT) for retrieval.
• Data is available from a dedicated atmospheric composition satellite mission, ensuring focused measurement quality.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low; column names, row counts, and exact file sizes are unknown across all sources.
• There is a conflict in reported 'last updated' dates between platforms (2026-04 09 vs. 2019-08-06), casting doubt on metadata freshness.
• Processor version and specific data collection (e.g., _1, _HiR_1, _HiR_2) must be checked based on date ranges, adding complexity for users.

Provenance

Source

European Space Agency (ESA) Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor mission, processed by GES DISC.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the TROPOMI hyperspectral spectrometer, using a non-linear least squares inversion algorithm.

Time Range

Data collection spans from before August 6, 2019, to after July 13, 2020, with ongoing updates.

Freshness

2026-04-09 22:23:44.216204

Geography

Global coverage from the satellite's nadir-viewing, 108-degree Field-of-View instrument.