TOVSA5NF: Global Atmospheric Profiles from NOAA-9 Satellite

TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) Level 3 geophysical parameters are derived from the 20-channel HIRS2 and 4-channel MSU instruments aboard the NOAA-9 satellite using the physical retrieval method of Susskind et al. (1984). The dataset provides global, 3-dimensional fields of atmospheric temperature and moisture, along with derived quantities like land/sea surface temperature, outgoing longwave radiation, cloud fraction, cloud top height, total ozone, and precipitation estimates. Data is processed through the Path A scheme, a 6-hour interactive forecast-retrieval-analysis cycle that assimilates satellite retrievals with in-situ measurements like radiosondes.

Use Cases

• Validating and initializing general circulation models based on the assimilated 3D temperature and humidity fields.
• Analyzing global cloud properties and their radiative impact using derived cloud fraction and cloud top height.
• Studying surface-atmosphere energy exchange using land and sea surface temperature and outgoing longwave radiation parameters.
• Investigating atmospheric composition through the total ozone overburden data.
• Examining the hydrological cycle via the included precipitation estimates.

Strengths

• Derived from a well-documented physical retrieval method (Susskind et al., 1984) and a defined processing cycle (Path A).
• Assimilates satellite data with in-situ measurements like radiosondes, likely improving accuracy.
• Provides a multi-parameter view of the atmosphere, including profiles, surface properties, clouds, and ozone.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing or conflicting: column names are unknown, and last_updated dates conflict between 1987 and 2026.
• The retrieval method is dependent on a hydrodynamic model and a priori data, which may introduce model-specific biases.
• Dataset scale and row count are unspecified, limiting assessment of its temporal and spatial granularity.

Provenance

Source

Satellite Data Utilization Office, Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA/GSFC.

Collection Method

Physical retrieval from NOAA-9 satellite HIRS2/MSU instrument data, processed through the Path A forecast-retrieval-analysis cycle with Optimal Interpolation assimilation.

Time Range

null

Freshness

2026-04-09 21:30:44.328993

Geography

Global