TRPSDL2CH4AIRSFS: Global Daily Methane Vertical Profiles from AIRS-Aqua

Global daily satellite retrievals provide the vertical distribution of atmospheric methane (CH4) from the surface to 0.1 hPa. Data from the AIRS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite are processed using the TROPESS project's MUSES optimal estimation algorithm, yielding profiles with formal uncertainties and diagnostics. Each netCDF4 file contains one day of observations at a 13.5 km spatial resolution across 26 vertical levels.

Use Cases

• Analyzing global methane concentration trends and variability based on daily, vertically-resolved satellite retrievals.
• Validating atmospheric chemistry and transport models using the provided formal uncertainties and diagnostic information.
• Investigating regional methane sources and sinks by leveraging the dataset's 13.5 km spatial resolution.
• Assessing stratospheric-tropospheric exchange processes using profiles that extend from the surface to 0.1 hPa.

Strengths

• Provides a continuous, global time series from February 1, 2021, to the present.
• Offers high vertical resolution with data reported at 26 distinct pressure levels.
• Includes formal uncertainty estimates and diagnostic information for each retrieval.

Limitations

• Column names and a detailed data dictionary are not provided in the available metadata, limiting immediate usability.
• The dataset's size, row count, and specific license terms are inconsistently reported or missing across platforms.
• Relies on a single sensor (AIRS), which may have specific biases or limitations compared to multi-instrument products.

Provenance

Source

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), Principal Investigator Kevin W. Bowman.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the AIRS instrument on the EOS Aqua spacecraft, processed using the TROPESS MUSES optimal estimation algorithm.

Time Range

2021-02-01 to present

Freshness

2026-04-09 21:26:56.493775

Geography

Global