CHART: Suomi NPP CrIMSS Level 2 Atmospheric, Cloud, and Surface State Retrievals

Global atmospheric data is produced by the Climate Heritage AIRS Retrieval Technique (CHART) algorithm, analyzing infrared and microwave sounder data from the Suomi NPP satellite's CrIS/ATMS instrument suite. The algorithm retrieves a full atmospheric state, including surface temperature and emissivity, vertical profiles of temperature, water vapor, and ozone, cloud properties, outgoing longwave radiation, and precipitation estimates. This dataset is designed as a seamless follow-on to the AIRS/AMSU processing system, using a neural network initial guess and methodologies consistent with AIRS Version-6.6.

Use Cases

• Analyzing vertical profiles of temperature, water vapor, and ozone for atmospheric research.
• Studying cloud top characteristics and cloud fraction for cloud property investigations.
• Estimating surface skin temperature and land surface emissivity for land surface studies.
• Calculating outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) for Earth's energy budget studies.
• Monitoring precipitation rates using infrared-based estimates.

Strengths

• Derives from a sophisticated sensor suite: the CrIS instrument provides 1305 infrared channels across three spectral regions, and the ATMS instrument provides 22 microwave channels.
• Algorithm is based on a mature heritage, using cloud clearing and retrieval methodologies essentially identical to the well-established AIRS Version-6.6 system.
• Provides a multi-parameter geophysical state, including surface, atmospheric profile, cloud, and radiation variables from a single retrieval system.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low: column names, row counts, and exact data size are unknown across all sources.
• Conflicting freshness signals: one source lists a last update in 2026, while another lists 2015, creating uncertainty about data currency.
• Documentation gaps exist, as the dataset is described as a 'limited edition data collection', suggesting it may not be a continuously maintained operational product.

Provenance

Source

GES_DISC (Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the Suomi NPP platform's CrIS (Cross-track Infrared Sounder) and ATMS (Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder) instruments, processed with the CHART retrieval algorithm.

Time Range

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Freshness

2026-04-09 22:55:28.199409

Geography

Global