Description

CAL_LID_L2_333mCLay-ValStage1-V3-02 data are Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) Lidar Level 2 1/3km (333m) cloud layer data. Version 3.02 represents a transition of the Lidar, IIR, and WFC processing and browse code to a new cluster computing system. No algorithm changes were introduced and very minor changes were observed between V3.01 and V3.02 as a result of the compiler and computer architecture differences. Within the Lidar Cloud Layer Product there are two general classes of data: Column Properties (including position data and viewing geometry) and Layer Properties. The lidar layer products consist of a sequence of column descriptors, each one of which is associated with a variable number of layer descriptors. The column descriptors specify the temporal and geo-physical location of the column of the atmosphere through which a given lidar pulse travels. Also included in the column descriptors are indicators of surface lighting conditions, information about the surface type, and the number of features (e.g., cloud and/or aerosol layers) identified within the column. For each feature within a column, a set of layer descriptors is reported. The layer descriptors provide information about the spatial and optical characteristics of a feature, such as base and top altitudes, integrated attenuated backscatter, and optical depth. New parameters for the V3-01 product include: column optical depths, layer top pressure, layer base pressure, layer mid-point pressure, layer top temperature, and layer base temperature. Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (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, the Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP), the Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR), and the Wide Field Camera (WFC). CALIPSO is a joint satellite mission between NASA and the French Agency, CNES.

DOI

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Resources and Documentation

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Earthdata Forum

PROFESSIONAL HOME PAGE

ICARE Data and Services Center Home Page

PROJECT HOME PAGE

CALIPSO project home page

NASA Mission Page for CALIPSO

French (CNES) CALIPSO Home Page

NASA Mission Overview of CALIPSO

VIEW RELATED INFORMATION

ANOMALIES

• CALIPSO Tilt Mode Geometry Anomaly Anomalies

DATA CITATION POLICY

• How to cite ASDC data

GENERAL DOCUMENTATION

• A-Train Data Depot (ATDD) Description
• CALIPSO - List of project documentation (Data Products Catalog and ATBDs)
• CALIPSO Data Release Summary Statement
• ICARE programmers toolbox
• Links to tools available through the ASDC

HOW-TO

• CALIPSO - Data User's Guide - Browse Image Tutorial

MICRO ARTICLE

• CALIPSO: Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations Fact Sheet
• NASA Earthdata Content Delivery Network (CDN) Article: Experiment in the sky - A train of satellites follows the atmospheric effects of a volcanic eruption.

PROCESSING HISTORY

• CALIPSO - Data Availability Site

PRODUCT QUALITY ASSESSMENT

• CALIPSO Quality Statements Lidar Level 2 Cloud and Aerosol Layer Products Version Releases: 3.01, 3.02

PRODUCT USAGE

• Overview of CALIPSO Data Product Maturity

PRODUCTION HISTORY

• CALIPSO Products Overview

PUBLICATIONS

• CALIPSO - List of publications

RELATED ARTICLES

• NASA Earth Observatory: Nighttime Ash Tracking - Vertical profile of the volcanic ash helps modelers issue more accurate warnings to pilots.
• NASA Earth Observatory: Polar Stratospheric Clouds - CALIPSO caught a top-down glimpse of an unusual atmospheric phenomenon - polar stratospheric clouds.
• NASA Earth Observatory: Whitewater-Baldy Fire in New Mexico - Understanding how high wildfires send smoke into the atmosphere is one of the key pieces of information required to predict where and how a smoke plume will spread.

USER FEEDBACK PAGE

• CALIPSO Data User’s Guide - Frequently Asked Questions

USER'S GUIDE

• CALIPSO Data User’s Guide

Keywords

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