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FDR4ATMOS - New ESA FDR for Atmospheric composition dataset from ERS-2 GOME and Envisat SCIAMACHY
In addition to releasing new datasets for Envisat SCIAMACHY, the European Space Agency (ESA) has advanced the earth observation capabilities by developing an experimental product under the ESA FDR4ATMOS project (Fundamental Data Records in the domain of satellite Atmospheric Composition).
Fundamental Data Record for Atmospheric Composition [ATMOS__L1B]
The Fundamental Data Record (FDR) for Atmospheric Composition UVN v.1.0 dataset is a cross-instrument Level-1 product [ATMOS__L1B] generated in 2023 and resulting from the ESA FDR4ATMOS project. The FDR contains selected Earth Observation Level 1b parameters (irradiance/reflectance) from the nadir-looking measurements of the ERS-2 GOME and Envisat SCIAMACHY missions for the period ranging from 1995 to 2012. The data record offers harmonised cross-calibrated spectra with focus on spectral windows in the Ultraviolet-Visible-Near Infrared regions for the retrieval of critical atmospheric constituents like ozone (O3), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) column densities, alongside cloud parameters. The FDR4ATMOS products should be regarded as experimental due to the innovative approach and the current use of a limited-sized test dataset to investigate the impact of harmonization on the Level 2 target species, specifically SO2, O3 and NO2. Presently, this analysis is being carried out within follow-on activities. The FDR4ATMOS V1 is currently being extended to include the MetOp GOME-2 series. Product format For many aspects, the FDR product has improved compared to the existing individual mission datasets: GOME solar irradiances are harmonised using a validated SCIAMACHY solar reference spectrum, solving the problem of the fast-changing etalon present in the original GOME Level 1b data; Reflectances for both GOME and SCIAMACHY are provided in the FDR product. GOME reflectances are harmonised to degradation-corrected SCIAMACHY values, using collocated data from the CEOS PIC sites; SCIAMACHY data are scaled to the lowest integration time within the spectral band using high-frequency PMD measurements from the same wavelength range. This simplifies the use of the SCIAMACHY spectra which were split in a complex cluster structure (with own integration time) in the original Level 1b data; The harmonization process applied mitigates the viewing angle dependency observed in the UV spectral region for GOME data; Uncertainties are provided. Each FDR product provides, within the same file, irradiance/reflectance data for UV-VIS-NIR special regions across all orbits on a single day, including therein information from the individual ERS-2 GOME and Envisat SCIAMACHY measurements. FDR has been generated in two formats: Level 1A and Level 1B targeting expert users and nominal applications respectively. The Level 1A [ATMOS__L1A] data include additional parameters such as harmonisation factors, PMD, and polarisation data extracted from the original mission Level 1 products. The ATMOS__L1A dataset is not part of the nominal dissemination to users. In case of specific requirements, please contact EOHelp. Please refer to the README file for essential guidance before using the data. All the new products are conveniently formatted in NetCDF. Free standard tools, such as Panoply, can be used to read NetCDF data. Panoply is sourced and updated by external entities. For further details, please consult our Terms and Conditions page. Uncertainty characterisation One of the main aspects of the project was the characterization of Level 1 uncertainties for both instruments, based on metrological best practices. The following documents are provided: General guidance on a metrological approach to Fundamental Data Records (FDR) Uncertainty Characterisation document Effect tables NetCDF files containing example uncertainty propagation analysis and spectral error correlation matrices for SCIAMACHY (Atlantic and Mauretania scene for 2003 and 2010) and GOME (Atlantic scene for 2003) reflectance_uncertainty_example_FDR4ATMOS_GOME.nc reflectance_uncertainty_example_FDR4ATMOS_SCIA.nc
ERS ATSR fourth Reprocessing datasets available to users
The fourth Reprocessing of the ATSR L1B datasets derived from the ERS-1 and ERS-2 satellites have now been released to users by the European Space Agency (ESA).
ERS ATSR L1B Brightness Temperature/Radiance [ER1_AT_1_RBT / ER2_AT_1_RBT]
Band measurements with associated uncertainty estimates. The ERS-1/2 ATSR Level 1B Brightness Temperature/Radiance products (RBT) contain top of atmosphere (TOA) brightness temperature (BT) values for the infra-red channels and radiance values for the visible channels, when available, on a 1-km pixel grid. The visible channels are only available for the ATSR-2 instrument. Values for each channel and for the nadir and oblique views occupy separate NetCDF files within the Sentinel-SAFE format, along with associated uncertainty estimates. Additional files contain cloud flags, land and water masks, and confidence flags for each image pixel, as well as instrument and ancillary meteorological information. The ATSR-1 and ATSR-2 products [ER1_AT_1_RBT and ER2_AT_1_RBT], in NetCDF format stemming from the 4th ATSR reprocessing, are precursors of Envisat AATSR and Sentinel-3 SLSTR data. They have replaced the former L1B products [AT1_TOA_1P and AT2_TOA_1P] in Envisat format from the 3rd reprocessing. Users with Envisat-format products are recommended to move to the new Sentinel-SAFE like/NetCDF format products, and consult the ERS ATSR Product Notice Readme document. The processing updates that have been put in place and the expected scientific improvements for the ERS ATSR 4th reprocessing data have been outlined in full in the User Documentation for (A)ATSR 4th Reprocessing Products
ESA's improved Earth system data records: what is in store for the future?
Fundamental Data Records (FDRs) are instrumental in advancing our understanding of Earth systems and for addressing societal challenges effectively. These long-term records contain uncertainty-quantified, calibrated and geo-located multi-instrument/multi-platform satellite sensor data spanning several decades to support climate-related applications.
Trailblazing ERS-2 mission enables climate change applications
As ESA’s ERS-2 satellite approaches Earth’s atmosphere for reentry, it’s time to reflect on the mission’s great achievements in powering climate-related applications.
Satellites track the health of the ozone layer
ESA’s Earth observation activities are contributing to international efforts to monitor and preserve the layer of stratospheric ozone that blankets the planet.
Transforming space data into climate action
ESA’s Earth observation activities are playing a key role in the revitalised global drive to combat climate change.
Interviewing Mirko Albani
ESA’s Heritage Space Programme Manager describes the goals of the programme, some of the challenges involved in preserving and improving 40 years of historical Earth observation data, and his passion for curating this long-term archive.
SMOS L2 Sea Surface Salinity products documentation updates
SMOS L2 Sea Surface Salinity product validation report is now available.
Introducing Mirko Albani
In this short introduction, ESA's Heritage Missions Programme Manager describes what he likes most about ESA's long term archive of satellite mission data and his role in the programme.
ERS - ESA’s first Earth observation satellites
To mark the 30th anniversary of ERS, we've released a new infographic summarising the mission.
COVID-19: Aeolus and weather forecasts
The drop in commercial flights has led to fewer measurements for weather forecasts, but fortunately, ESA’s Aeolus satellite mission is helping to fill the gap.
GOME Total Column Water Vapour Climate product
The GOME Total Column Water Vapour (TCWV) Climate product was generated by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC), and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) within the ESA GOME-Evolution project. It is a Level 3 type product containing homogenized time-series of the global distribution of TCWV spanning over more than two decades (1995-2015). The data is provided as single netCDF file, containing monthly mean TCWV (units kg/m2) with 1-degree resolution, and is based on measurements from the satellite instruments ERS-2 GOME, Envisat SCIAMACHY, and MetOp-A GOME-2. Details are available in the paper by Beirle et al, 2018. Please also consult the GOME TCWV Product Quality Readme file before using the data.
ERS-2 GOME Spectral Product L1
GOME Level 1 products contain Earthshine radiance at the Top of the Atmosphere and solar irradiance spectra. They were generated by DLR on behalf of the European Space Agency with Level 1 GOME Data Processor (GDP-L1) starting from the Extracted GOME Calibration (EGOC) Level 0 data files. Originally raw detector signals (binary Analog to Digital Converted units) of the science measurements plus calibration constants were provided (dataset version 4 and lower), but following the end of the operational phase of the ERS-2 mission (2 July 2011), as part of ESA's post-operational algorithm improvement activities (Coldewey-Egbers et al., 2018), the GOME Level 1 data type was entirely revised and a dataset of fully calibrated and ready to use data was generated with GOME processor version 5.1. The version 5.1 data bring relevant quality improvements for the revised calibration approach, compensating aging and instrument degradation, and provide enhanced accessibility. The version 5.1 data are in NetCDF format and differ fundamentally from the previous GOME Level 1 data, having the Envisat proprietary format and basically containing Level 1a data where a dedicated extraction software tool had to be applied by end user to obtain spectrally and radiometrically calibrated radiances (including the correction for polarisation, leakage current and stray light). Such calibrations are now applied to the version 5.1 L1b data product in the standard processing. Users of GOME Level 1 products are strongly recommended to migrate to the latest reprocessed dataset. Please consult the GOME Product Quality Readme file before using the data.
ERS-2 GOME Total Column Amount of Trace Gases Product
GOME Level 2 products were generated by DLR on behalf of the European Space Agency, and are the end result of the Level 1 to 2 reprocessing campaign of GOME Level 1 version 4 data with Level 2 GOME Data Processor (GDP) version 5.0 (HDF-5 format). The GOME Level 2 data product comprises the product header, total column densities of ozone and nitrogen dioxide and their associated errors, cloud properties and selected geo-location information, diagnostics from the Level 1 to 2 algorithms and a small amount of statistical information.
SCIRoCCo
The SCIRoCCo project is an interdisciplinary cooperation of scatterometry experts aimed at promoting the continuing exploitation of ESA's unique 20 years' worth of ERS Scatterometer data.
Odin-SMR
ESA/SPPA took the initiative to support the reprocessing of all Odin-SMR measurements in order to create a fully consistent and homogeneous dataset of stratospheric species profiles.
SEOM CAWA
The Advanced Clouds, Aerosols and WAter vapour products for Sentinel-3/OLCI project aims to develop and improve the advanced atmospheric retrieval algorithms developed for MERIS and OLCI instruments.
SciaL1C Command-line Tool
The SCIAMACHY Calibration and Extraction Tool (SciaL1c) is an application to process SCIAMACHY Level 1b products. It allows you to select specific calibrations to apply to Level 1b data.