Suomi NPP ATMS RAMSES2: Monthly Gridded Atmospheric Profiles

Monthly gridded data from the Suomi NPP satellite's Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), processed by the RAMSES II algorithm. The dataset provides all-weather retrievals of atmospheric temperature and water vapor profiles, surface properties, and ocean skin temperature on a one-degree latitude by one-degree longitude grid. Each variable includes quality control flags (0=best, 1=good, 2=don't use) derived from level-2 products.

Use Cases

• Analyzing global atmospheric temperature profiles based on microwave-only retrievals.
• Studying water vapor distribution and humidity indicators across all phases.
• Monitoring sea surface skin temperature and land surface skin temperature from satellite observations.
• Validating climate models with all-weather geophysical parameters that do not require cloud clearing.

Strengths

• Provides all-weather retrievals as the algorithm lacks a cloud-clearing process, enabling data collection under cloudy conditions.
• Includes quality control values (0, 1, 2) for each variable, allowing for data filtering based on retrieval confidence.
• Data is hosted by NASA and available on multiple platforms (Data.gov, NASA Earthdata), indicating institutional support and accessibility.

Limitations

• Specific column names and dataset size (rows, file size) are not provided in any source, limiting precise technical assessment.
• Metadata completeness varies; license is noted as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov but is 'None' on NASA Earthdata, creating ambiguity.
• The temporal coverage and exact time range of the data are not explicitly stated.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Retrieved from the Suomi NPP satellite's Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) using the RAMSES II microwave-only algorithm.

Freshness

2026-04-09 20:30:37.391068

Geography

Global, gridded to one degree latitude by one degree longitude.