TRPSDL2CH4CRSFS: Satellite Methane Vertical Profiles

TROPESS CrIS-SNPP L2 Methane provides vertical profiles of atmospheric methane concentrations retrieved from the Suomi-NPP satellite's CrIS instrument. The dataset covers a global period from February to May 2021, with data reported at 26 vertical levels from the surface to 0.1 hPa. Each daily netCDF file contains methane state, formal uncertainties, and diagnostic information processed using the MUSES optimal estimation algorithm.

Use Cases

• Analyzing global methane distribution patterns based on vertical profiles from 26 levels.
• Assessing methane retrieval uncertainties using the formal uncertainty fields included in the data.
• Studying atmospheric methane transport and chemistry with data from the MUSES optimal estimation algorithm.
• Investigating regional methane emissions using the dataset's 14 km spatial resolution at nadir.

Strengths

• Provides methane data at 26 vertical levels, offering detailed atmospheric structure.
• Has a defined spatial resolution of 14 km at the CrIS nadir field of view.
• Uses a sophisticated retrieval algorithm (MUSES) for optimal estimation of the atmospheric state.

Limitations

• Dataset coverage is limited to a short, specific time range from 2021-02-01 to 2021-05-21.
• Column names and exact data structure within the netCDF files are not specified in the metadata.
• One platform lists a last updated date of 2026-04-09, while another lists 2021-05-21, indicating a potential metadata conflict.

Provenance

Source

NASA TROPESS project, GES DISC

Collection Method

Retrieved from the CrIS instrument on the Suomi-NPP satellite using the MUSES algorithm.

Time Range

2021-02-01 to 2021-05-21

Freshness

2026-04-09 21:35:42.476241

Geography

Global