THIRN7L1CLDT: Nimbus-7 Satellite Infrared Radiance Data

Nimbus-7 satellite Temperature-Humidity Infrared Radiometer (THIR) Level 1 data provides calibrated infrared radiances from two spectral channels. The 11.5-micron channel measures cloud top and surface temperatures with 6.7 km resolution, while the 6.7-micron channel detects upper atmospheric water vapor with 20 km resolution. Data coverage spans from October 30, 1979, to May 13, 1985, and is archived in its original proprietary format recovered from historical 9-track tapes.

Use Cases

• Analyzing cloud top temperature patterns using the 11.5-micron channel radiance data.
• Tracking moisture content in the upper troposphere and stratosphere via the 6.7-micron water vapor channel.
• Identifying jet stream and frontal system locations from the 6.7-micron channel observations.
• Calibrating or validating newer satellite infrared instruments against historical measurements.

Strengths

• Provides a continuous, multi-year record from 1979 to 1985 for climate trend analysis.
• Offers two distinct infrared channels with specific resolutions (6.7 km and 20 km) for different atmospheric phenomena.
• Data is cross-platform available (NASA Earthdata and Data.gov), indicating established importance.

Limitations

• Data is archived in an original proprietary format (BIN), which likely requires specialized tools for access and processing.
• Column names and dataset size are unknown across all sources, limiting immediate usability.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata (2026 vs. 1985) creates uncertainty about maintenance status.

Provenance

Source

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), Principal Investigator Dr. Larry L. Stowe (NOAA NESDIS).

Collection Method

Data digitized on board the Nimbus-7 satellite, originally written on IBM 360 machines and recovered from magnetic 9-track tapes.

Time Range

October 30, 1979 to May 13, 1985.

Freshness

Last updated metadata conflicts: one source states 2026 04 09, another states 1985 05 13.

Geography

Global coverage from the Nimbus-7 satellite orbit.