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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 Version Platforms Instruments Temporal Extent Spatial Extent Spatial Resolution Data Format
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

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

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

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

MISR Level 3 Component Global Aerosol Product covering a day V004 4 Terra MISR 2000-02-25 to 2017-06-01

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

0.5 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees HDF-EOS2
MISR Level 3 Component Global Aerosol Product covering a month V004 4 Terra MISR 2000-02-01 to 2017-05-31

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

0.5 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees HDF-EOS2
PACE OCI Level-3 Global Binned Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT), Near Real-time (NRT) Data, version 3.1 3.1 PACE OCI 2024-03-05 to Present

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

netCDF-4
PACE OCI Level-3 Global Binned Aerosol Optical Thickness Data, version 3.1 3.1 PACE OCI 2024-03-05 to Present

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

netCDF-4
PACE OCI Level-3 Global Binned Remote-Sensing Reflectance (RRS) - NRT Data, version 3.1 3.1 PACE OCI 2024-03-05 to Present

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

netCDF-4
PACE OCI Level-3 Global Binned Remote-Sensing Reflectance (RRS) Data, version 3.1 3.1 PACE OCI 2024-03-05 to Present

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

netCDF-4
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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
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).

Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness Data Tools

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Tool Description Services
AppEEARS The The Application for Extracting and Exploring Analysis Ready Samples (AppEEARS) offers users a simple and efficient way to perform data access and transformation processes. Search and Discovery, Subsetting, Customization, Downloading, Visualization
Panoply Panoply is a cross-platform application that plots geo-referenced and other arrays from netCDF, HDF, GRIB, and other datasets. Visualization, Customization, Reformatting, Subsetting, Comparison
Worldview Worldview offers the capability to interactively browse over 1,200 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and download the underlying data. Analysis, Search and Discovery, Visualization, Access, Comparison, Monitoring Natural Events
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