Short Name:
CAL_LID_L2_05kmCLay-Prov-V3-40

CALIPSO Lidar Level 2 5 km Cloud Layer, Provisional V3-40

CAL_LID_L2_05kmCLay-Prov-V3-40 is the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) Lidar Level 2 5 km Cloud Layer, Provisional Version 3-40 data product. Data for this product was collected using the CALIPSO Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument. Data collection for this product is ongoing. This product reports cloud products at identical 5km horizontal resolutions, and includes a full complement of diagnostic and quality assurance parameters. Major algorithm updates include a new approach to determining cloud thermodynamic phase; greatly improved separation of boundary layer clouds and aerosols; refinements to the layer base determination scheme that enable more accurate estimates of aerosol optical depth; and the use of five-dimensional probability distribution functions to better distinguish clouds from aerosols. Uncertainty estimates are now provided for all cloud properties reported in the Level 2 data products. Products include three V-data record types (i.e., metadata). The science algorithms used to produce the Version 3.40 CALIOP data products are identical to those used to generate the Version 3.01 and Version 3.02 products; however, some of the ancillary data used in the Version 3.40 analyses is different. All CALIOP data products rely on meteorological data provided by NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO). The Version 3.01 and Version 3.02 data products were produced using the GMAO's Goddard Earth Observing System Model, Version 5.2 (GEOS-5.2) data products. CALIPSO was launched on April 28, 2006 to study the impact of clouds and aerosols on the Earth's radiation budget and climate. It flies in the international A-Train constellation for coincident Earth observations. The CALIPSO satellite comprises three instruments, CALIOP, Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR), and Wide Field Camera (WFC). CALIPSO is a joint satellite mission between NASA and the French Agency, CNES.

Map of Earth