SNDRAQIML3SMCCP: Atmospheric Profiles from Aqua AIRS Satellite

CLIMCAPS algorithm retrieves full atmospheric state profiles from infrared and microwave sensors aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. Temperature profiles have 100 vertical levels between 1100 mb and 0.1 mb, with a horizontal resolution of 50 km. The dataset includes a critical warning for a derived carbon monoxide product requiring correction due to a molecular weight conversion error.

Use Cases

• Monitoring global carbon monoxide levels using retrieved column density values ('mol_lay/co_mol_lay')
• Analyzing vertical temperature structure based on profiles with 100 levels
• Studying cloud properties and surface skin temperature from infrared effective cloud top characteristics
• Tracking water vapor distribution from moisture profiles reported between 1100 mb and 300 mb
• Assessing atmospheric chemistry via profiles of ozone, methane, and sulfur dioxide

Strengths

• Provides a multi-parameter atmospheric state from coupled infrared and microwave sensors (AIRS/AMSU)
• Offers high vertical resolution for temperature (100 levels) and defined horizontal resolution (50 km)
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov signals its importance and curation

Limitations

• Contains a significant data bias: the 'co_mmr_midtrop' variable uses an incorrect molecular weight and requires correction
• Key metadata like row count, column list, and exact license are unknown across all sources
• The dataset's temporal coverage and update frequency are not specified

Provenance

Source

NASA GES DISC, derived from Aqua AIRS/AMSU satellite instruments

Collection Method

Retrieved via the CLIMCAPS Optimal Estimation algorithm analyzing CrIMSS data

Freshness

2026-04-09 22:56:16.157511

Geography

Global coverage from satellite observations