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Description

M2TMNPQDT (or tavgM_3d_qdt_Np) is a 3-dimensional monthly mean data collection in Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2). This collection consists of assimilations of moist tendencies on the 42 pressure levels, such as tendency of ice (or liquid) water due to dynamics, total ice (or liquid) water tendency due to moist, total specific humidity analysis tendency, and specific humidity tendency due to moist. The information on the pressure levels can be found in the section 4.2 of the MERRA-2 File Specification document. The collection also includes variance of certain parameters.

MERRA-2 is the latest version of global atmospheric reanalysis for the satellite era produced by NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) using the Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS) version 5.12.4. The dataset covers the period of 1980-present with the latency of ~3 weeks after the end of a month.

Data Reprocessing: Please check “Records of MERRA-2 Data Reprocessing and Service Changes” linked from the “Documentation” tab on this page. Note that a reprocessed data filename is different from the original file.

MERRA-2 Mailing List: Sign up to receive information on reprocessing of data, changing of tools and services, as well as data announcements from GMAO. Contact the GES DISC Help Desk (gsfc-dl-help-disc@mail.nasa.gov) to be added to the list.

Questions: If you have a question, please read "MERRA-2 File Specification Document", “MERRA-2 Data Access – Quick Start Guide”, and FAQs linked from the ”Documentation” tab on this page. If that does not answer your question, you may post your question to the NASA Earthdata Forum (forum.earthdata.nasa.gov) or email the GES DISC Help Desk (gsfc-dl-help-disc@mail.nasa.gov).

Version Description

The GEOS-5 model version used for processing MERRA-2

Product Summary

Platforms
MERRA-2
Instruments
NOT APPLICABLE
Spatial Extent

N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180

Spatial Resolution
0.625 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
Location
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
CARTESIAN
Temporal Extent
1980-01-01 to Present
Data Partner
Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (formerly Goddard DAAC), Terrestrial Information Systems Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division, Science and Exploration Directorate, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA (NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/TISL/GESDI
Concept ID
C1276812930-GES_DISC
Data State
ACTIVE
Number of Files/Granules
555
Processing Level
4
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Specific Humidity ,
Water Vapor Tendency ,
Water Vapor Processes

Citation

Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.

Copy Citation

Global Modeling And Assimilation Office, & Pawson, S. (2015). MERRA-2 tavgM_3d_qdt_Np: 3d,Monthly mean,Time-Averaged,Pressure-Level,Assimilation,Moist Tendencies V5.12.4 [Data set]. NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/2ZTU87V69ATP Date Accessed: 2026-05-19

Documents

Publications Citing This Dataset

Filters
Title Year Author Topic
Impact of CCN on mixing line structure over the peninsular Indian region Malap, Neelam, Prabha, T V, Bera, S, Kumar, Bipin, Karipot, A Specific Humidity, Water Vapor Tendency, Water Vapor Processes
Atmospheric water balance and variability in the MERRA-2 reanalysis Bosilovich, Michael G., Robertson, Franklin R., Takacs, Lawrence, Molod, Andrea, Mocko, David Specific Humidity, Water Vapor Tendency, Water Vapor Processes, Atmospheric Ozone, Sea Level Pressure, Surface Pressure, U/V Wind Components, U/V Wind Components, Potential Vorticity, Vertical Wind Velocity/Speed, Vertical Profiles, Upper Air Temperature, Air Temperature, Relative Humidity, Atmospheric Water Vapor, Cloud Liquid Water/Ice, Altitude, Geopotential Height, Ozone Profiles, Heat Flux, Heat Flux, Heat Flux, Heat Flux, Longwave Radiation, Longwave Radiation, Shortwave Radiation, Shortwave Radiation, Water Vapor Flux, Cloud Dynamics, Cloud Microphysics, Snow/Ice, Precipitation, Skin Temperature, Water Vapor, Precipitation Rate, Evaporation, Latent Heat Flux, Latent Heat Flux, Sensible Heat Flux, Diffusion, Surface Winds, Wind Speed, Wind Stress, Wind Stress, Surface Roughness, Planetary Boundary Layer Height, Ice Fraction, Total Precipitable Water, Oxygen Compounds, Potential Temperature, Potential Temperature, Air Mass/Density
The 2015/16 El Nino event in context of the MERRA-2 reanalysis: A comparison of the tropical Pacific with 1982/83 and 1997/98 Lim, Young-Kwon, Kovach, Robin M., Pawson, Steven, Vernieres, Guillaume Geopotential Height, Altitude, Surface Temperature, Upper Air Temperature, Dew Point Temperature, Air Temperature, Cloud Top Temperature, Atmospheric Winds, Surface Winds, U/V Wind Components, Upper Level Winds, U/V Wind Components, Vertical Wind Velocity/Speed, Atmospheric Pressure, Sea Level Pressure, Cloud Top Pressure, Sea Level Pressure, Surface Pressure, Specific Humidity, Total Precipitable Water, Cloud Liquid Water/Ice, Atmospheric Water Vapor, Atmospheric Ozone, Oxygen Compounds, Boundary Layer Winds, Skin Temperature, Water Vapor Tendency, Water Vapor Processes, Potential Vorticity, Vertical Profiles, Relative Humidity, Ozone Profiles, Temperature Tendency, Heat Flux, Water Vapor, Precipitation Rate, Snow/Ice, Evaporation, Latent Heat Flux, Latent Heat Flux, Sensible Heat Flux, Diffusion, Surface Winds, Wind Speed, Wind Stress, Wind Stress, Surface Roughness, Planetary Boundary Layer Height, Ice Fraction, Atmospheric Radiation, Cloud Fraction, Albedo, Cloud Properties, Particle Size Distribution, Cloud Optical Depth/Thickness
The modern-era retrospective analysis for research and applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) Gelaro, Ronald, McCarty, Will, Suarez, Max J., Todling, Ricardo, Molod, Andrea, Takacs, Lawrence, Randles, Cynthia A., Darmenov, Anton, Bosilovich, Michael G., Reichle, Rolf, Wargan, Krzysztof, Coy, Lawrence, Cullather, Richard, Draper, Clara, Akella, Santha, Buchard, Virginie, Conaty, Austin, da Silva, Arlindo M., Gu, Wei, Kim, Gi-Kong, Koster, Randal, Lucchesi, Robert, Merkova, Dagmar, Nielsen, Jon Eric, Partyka, Gary, Pawson, Steven, Putman, William, Rienecker, Michele, Schubert, Siegfried D., Sienkiewicz, Meta, Zhao, Bin Aerosols, Aerosol Extinction, Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness, Angstrom Exponent, Aerosol Particle Properties, Carbonaceous Aerosols, Dust/Ash/Smoke, Organic Particles, Sulfate Particles, Sulfur Oxides, Sulfur Compounds, Sulfate, Sulfur Dioxide, Sulfur Oxides, Particulate Matter, Dimethyl Sulfide, Black Carbon, Sea Salt, PARTICULATE MATTER (PM 2.5), PARTICULATE MATTER (PM 10), PARTICULATE MATTER (PM 1.0), Albedo, Snow Depth, Snow Depth, Glacier Runoff, Glacier Runoff, Snow Cover, Heat Flux, Air Temperature, Skin Temperature, Specific Humidity, Water Vapor, Precipitation Rate, Snow/Ice, Evaporation, Latent Heat Flux, Latent Heat Flux, Sensible Heat Flux, Diffusion, Surface Winds, Wind Speed, U/V Wind Components, Wind Stress, Wind Stress, Surface Roughness, Planetary Boundary Layer Height, Ice Fraction, Heat Flux, Heat Flux, Heat Flux, Longwave Radiation, Longwave Radiation, Shortwave Radiation, Shortwave Radiation, Water Vapor Tendency, Water Vapor Flux, Cloud Dynamics, Cloud Microphysics, Precipitation, Atmospheric Ozone, Geopotential Height, Altitude, Surface Temperature, Upper Air Temperature, Dew Point Temperature, Cloud Top Temperature, Atmospheric Winds, Surface Winds, Upper Level Winds, U/V Wind Components, Vertical Wind Velocity/Speed, Atmospheric Pressure, Sea Level Pressure, Cloud Top Pressure, Sea Level Pressure, Surface Pressure, Total Precipitable Water, Cloud Liquid Water/Ice, Atmospheric Water Vapor, Oxygen Compounds, Boundary Layer Winds, Total Ozone, Temperature Tendency, Skin Temperature, Water Vapor Processes, Soil Heat Budget, Soil Heat Budget, Soil Temperature, Soil Temperature, Soil Infiltration, Soil Infiltration, Soil Moisture/Water Content, Surface Soil Moisture, Root Zone Soil Moisture, Soil Moisture/Water Content, Surface Water, Runoff Rate, Average Flow, Average Flow, Snow Depth, Snow Melt, Snow/Ice Temperature, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Potential Temperature, Potential Temperature, Air Mass/Density, Potential Vorticity, Vertical Profiles, Relative Humidity, Ozone Profiles
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Variables

The table below lists the variables contained within a single granule for this dataset. Variables often contain observed or derived geophysical measurements collected from a variety of sources, including remote sensing instruments on satellite and airborne platforms, field campaigns, in situ measurements, and model outputs. The terms variable, parameter, scientific data set, layer, and band have been used across NASA’s Earth science disciplines; however, variable is the designated nomenclature in NASA’s Common Metadata Repository (CMR). Variable metadata attributes such as Name, Description, Units, Data Type, Fill Value, Valid Range, and Scale Factor allow users to efficiently process and analyze the data. The full range of attributes may not be applicable to all variables. Additional information on variable attributes is typically available in the data, user guide, and/or other product documentation.

For questions on a specific variable, please use the Earthdata Forum.

Name Description Units Data Type Fill Value Valid Range Scale Factor Offset
DQIDTDYN DQIDTDYN kg/kg/s float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQIDTMST DQIDTMST kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQIDTTRB DQIDTTRB kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQLDTDYN DQLDTDYN kg/kg/s float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQLDTMST DQLDTMST kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQLDTTRB DQLDTTRB kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQVDTANA DQVDTANA kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQVDTCHM DQVDTCHM kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQVDTDYN DQVDTDYN kg/kg/s float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQVDTMST DQVDTMST kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
DQVDTTRB DQVDTTRB kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
lat lat degrees_north float64 N/A N/A N/A N/A
lev lev hPa float64 N/A N/A N/A N/A
lon lon degrees_east float64 N/A N/A N/A N/A
time time minutes since 2025-11-01 01:30:00 int32 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQIDTDYN Var_DQIDTDYN kg/kg/s kg/kg/s float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQIDTMST Var_DQIDTMST kg kg-1 s-1 kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQIDTTRB Var_DQIDTTRB kg kg-1 s-1 kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQLDTDYN Var_DQLDTDYN kg/kg/s kg/kg/s float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQLDTMST Var_DQLDTMST kg kg-1 s-1 kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQLDTTRB Var_DQLDTTRB kg kg-1 s-1 kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQVDTANA Var_DQVDTANA kg kg-1 s-1 kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQVDTCHM Var_DQVDTCHM kg kg-1 s-1 kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQVDTDYN Var_DQVDTDYN kg/kg/s kg/kg/s float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQVDTMST Var_DQVDTMST kg kg-1 s-1 kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
Var_DQVDTTRB Var_DQVDTTRB kg kg-1 s-1 kg kg-1 s-1 float32 999999986991104 N/A N/A N/A
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