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Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness Data Access and Tools

Access datasets and tools to optimize your aerosols research.

Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness Datasets

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Dataset Sort descending	Version	Platform	Instrument	Temporal Extent	Spatial Extent	Spatial Resolution	Data Format
ISS HICO Level-2 Regional Ocean Color (OC) Data, version 2018.0	2018.0	ISS	HICO	2009-09-25 to 2014-09-13	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		netCDF-4
KORUS-AQ Aircraft Merge Data Files	1	NASA DC-8	Computer	2016-04-24 to 2016-06-21			ICARTT
KORUS-AQ DC-8 Aircraft In Situ Aerosol Data	1	NASA DC-8	AMS, APS, TSI CPC-3010, LASER SPECTROMETER, PSAP, TSI-3563 Neph, SMPS, ION CHROMATOGRAPHS, LWCC, 4STAR, CCN, CPSPD, Thermodenuder	2016-04-17 to 2016-06-21			ICARTT
KORUS-AQ DC-8 Aircraft Remotely Sensed Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) Data	1	NASA DC-8	DIAL	2016-04-18 to 2016-06-20			HDF5, ICARTT
KORUS-AQ Research Vessel (R/V) Onnuri Ship Data	1	R/V ONNURI	SpEx, AMS, SUN PHOTOMETERS, GAS SENSORS	2016-05-16 to 2016-06-05			ICARTT
LBA-ECO TG-03 Aeronet Aerosol Optical Thickness Measurements, Brazil: 1993-2005	1	NOT APPLICABLE	NOT APPLICABLE	1993-01-01 to 2005-01-01	N: -1.197 S: -20.4497 E: -48.2827 W: -70.313		CSV
LISTOS NASA Aircraft Remote Sensing Data	1	B-200	GCAS, GeoTASO, HALO	2018-06-18 to 2018-10-19			HDF5, PNG
LMOS Sheboygan Ground Site Data	1	GROUND STATIONS	LASERS, LIDAR, HSRL, GPS, SPECTROMETERS, GAS SENSORS	2017-05-09 to 2017-06-24			ICARTT, NetCDF-3
MERRA-2 inst3_2d_gas_Nx: 2d,3-Hourly,Instantaneous,Single-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Optical Depth Analysis 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2I3NXGAS) at GES DISC	5.12.4	MERRA-2	NOT APPLICABLE	1980-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
MERRA-2 instM_2d_gas_Nx: 2d,Monthly mean,Instantaneous,Single-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Optical Depth Analysis 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2IMNXGAS) at GES DISC	5.12.4	MERRA-2	NOT APPLICABLE	1980-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
MERRA-2 instU_2d_gas_Nx: 2d,diurnal,Instantaneous,Single-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Optical Depth Analysis 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2IUNXGAS) at GES DISC	5.12.4	MERRA-2	NOT APPLICABLE	1980-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
MERRA-2 tavg1_2d_adg_Nx: 2d,1-Hourly,Time-averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Diagnostics (extended) 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2T1NXADG) at GES DISC	5.12.4	MERRA-2	NOT APPLICABLE	1980-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
MERRA-2 tavg1_2d_aer_Nx: 2d,1-Hourly,Time-averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Diagnostics 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2T1NXAER) at GES DISC	5.12.4	MERRA-2	NOT APPLICABLE	1980-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
MERRA-2 tavgM_2d_adg_Nx: 2d,Monthly mean,Time-averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Diagnostics (extended) 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2TMNXADG) at GES DISC	5.12.4	MERRA-2	NOT APPLICABLE	1980-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
MERRA-2 tavgM_2d_aer_Nx: 2d,Monthly mean,Time-averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Diagnostics 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2TMNXAER) at GES DISC	5.12.4	MERRA-2	NOT APPLICABLE	1980-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
MERRA-2 tavgU_2d_adg_Nx: 2d,diurnal,Time-averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Diagnostics (extended) 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2TUNXADG) at GES DISC	5.12.4	MERRA-2	NOT APPLICABLE	1980-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
MERRA-2 tavgU_2d_aer_Nx: 2d,diurnal,Time-averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Aerosol Diagnostics 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2TUNXAER) at GES DISC	5.12.4	MERRA-2	NOT APPLICABLE	1980-01-01 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
MISR Derived Case Study Data for Iceland Volcanic Eruptions (Eyjafjallajokull, Grimsvotn, Holuhraun) Including Geometric Plume Height and Qualitative Radiometric Particle Property Information	1	Terra	MISR	2010-04-15 to 2015-02-21			ASCII, PNG, JPEG, HDF5
MISR Derived Case Study Data for Kilauea Volcanic Eruptions Including Geometric Plume Height and Qualitative Radiometric Particle Property Information	1	Terra	MISR	2000-10-25 to 2018-08-01			ASCII, PNG, JPEG, HDF5
MODIS/Aqua Aerosol 10km 5-Min L2 Narrow Swath Subset along CloudSat V002 (MAC04S0) at GES DISC	002	Aqua	MODIS	2006-06-02 to 2018-02-28	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	1 Kilometers x 1 Kilometers
MODIS/Aqua Aerosol 10km 5-Min L2 Wide Swath Subset along CloudSat V002 (MAC04S1) at GES DISC	002	Aqua	MODIS	2006-06-02 to 2018-02-28	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	10 Kilometers x 10 Kilometers
MODIS/Aqua Aerosol 5-Min L2 Swath 10km	6.1	Aqua	MODIS	2002-07-04 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	10 Kilometers x 10 Kilometers	HDF-EOS
MODIS/Aqua Aerosol 5-Min L2 Swath 10km - NRT	6.1NRT	Aqua	MODIS	2017-10-20	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	10 Kilometers x 10 Kilometers	HDF-EOS
MODIS/Aqua Aerosol 5-Min L2 Swath 3km	6.1	Aqua	MODIS	2002-07-04 to Present	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180		HDF-EOS
MODIS/Aqua Aerosol 5-Min L2 Swath 3km - NRT	6.1NRT	Aqua	MODIS	2017-10-20	N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180	3 Kilometers x 3 Kilometers	HDF-EOS

MODIS

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments are aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua platforms and provide estimates about aerosol optical depth. Terra's orbit is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon.

MODIS data in NASA Worldview

Expansion of MODIS Aerosol Optical Depth Palette

GIBS will be expanding the data range and palette of the MODIS Aerosol Optical Depth products.

true-color satellite image of western U.S. with colored dots indicating AERONET sites; gray banner in center of image indicated selected site

Explore New Aerosol Layers in NASA Worldview

NASA Worldview added four layers from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) program to provide ground-based measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Angstrom parameter.

A screenshot showing a portion of the FIRMS active fire map showing ultra real-time data

FIRMS Adds Ultra Real-Time Data from MODIS and VIIRS

Scientists develop routine service for wildfire detection in the continental United States with a latency of less than 60 seconds.

6 MIN READ

True color corrected reflectance image of Africa, Europe, and Asia from the VIIRS instrument aboard the NOAA-21 satellite

From MODIS to VIIRS: Continuing the Legacy

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) will help ensure continuity of Earth observations after the upcoming retirement of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).

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