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Carbon Monoxide Data Access and Tools

NASA has carbon monoxide datasets that help researchers characterize trace and major gases comprising Earth's atmosphere. Access a range of data and data tools such as AppEEARS, FIRMS, and Giovanni to make the most of carbon monoxide data.

Many NASA observation methods—platforms, instruments, and space geodesy techniques—provide data that improve our understanding of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere including the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES), Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument, and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) featured below.

Commonly Used Carbon Monoxide Data at a Glance

Descriptions of these measurements will be reviewed in more detail later in this Data Pathfinder. The following sections will help guide you to topic-specific data and resources for accessing, visualizing, preparing/manipulating (e.g. subsetting), and analyzing data. Each observation, model, and reanalysis data has unique characteristics that should be considered when evaluating its use.

An asterisk (*) next to an entry indicates that near real-time (NRT) data products are available through NASA's Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE). While not intended for scientific research, NRT data are good resources for monitoring ongoing or time-critical events. To learn more about the difference between NRT and Standard Science Products, see Near Real Time versus Standard Products.

Spatial ResolutionSpatial CoverageTemporal ResolutionTemporal CoverageSpectral ResolutionSatellite/ PlatformName (Sensor, Model, etc.)Observation, Model, or ReanalysisFile Format
50 km x 50 kmGlobal6 minutes2002-present2,378 infrared channels in the 3.74-15.4 micron spectral rangeAqua*AIRSObservationHDF-EOS
165 km x 3 kmNear-globalTwice daily [day, night]2004-presentAt millimeter and submillimeter wavelengthsAqua*MLSObservationHDF-EOS5
~22 kmGlobalDaily, Monthly2000-presentnear-infrared radiation at 2.3 µm and thermal-infrared radiation at 4.7 µmTerra*MOPITTObservationHDF-EOS5
5.5 km x 7 kmGlobal101.5 minutes2018-present270 nm-2.3 µm, 0.55 nmSentinel-5PTROPOMIObservationnetCDF
0.25º x 0.25°Global15 min, HourlyDaily 5-day forecastN/AN/AGEOS-CFModelnetCDF
0.25º x 0.312°Global3-hourlyNear-real time assimilation (DAS), 10-day forecast at 00z and 5-day forecast at 12zN/AN/AGEOS FPAnalysisnetCDF
Point measurementsGlobalPeriodic flights occurred during each deployment2016-2018variesAirborne Field CampaignAtmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom) campaign with varying instrumentsObservationnetCDF

Carbon Monoxide Datasets

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Dataset Version Platform Instrument Temporal Extent Spatial Extent Spatial Resolution Data Format
Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellites (MAPS) Space Radar Laboratory - 2 (SRL2) Carbon Monoxide Second by Second data 1 STS-68, SPACE SHUTTLES GFC RADIOMETER, MAPS, NOT APPLICABLE 1994-09-30 to 1994-10-11 HDF4
MERRA-2 inst3_3d_chm_Nv: 3d,3-Hourly,Instantaneous,Model-Level,Assimilation,Carbon Monoxide and Ozone Mixing Ratio 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2I3NVCHM) 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_chm_Nx: 2d,1-Hourly,Time-Averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Carbon Monoxide and Ozone Diagnostics 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2T1NXCHM) 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_chm_Nx: 2d,Monthly mean,Time-Averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Carbon Monoxide and Ozone Diagnostics 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2TMNXCHM) 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_chm_Nx: 2d,diurnal,Time-Averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Carbon Monoxide and Ozone Diagnostics 0.625 x 0.5 degree V5.12.4 (M2TUNXCHM) 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
MOOSE Aerodyne Mobile Laboratory Measurements 1 GROUND-BASED OBSERVATIONS GC-EI-TOF, Aerodyne Mini-TILDAS, Aerodyne CAPS, LICOR GAS EXCHANGE SYSTEM, 2B Technologies 2021-05-20 to 2021-07-01 ICARTT
MOPITT Beta CO gridded daily means (Near and Thermal Infrared Radiances) V109 109 Terra MOPITT 2018-03-25 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT Beta CO gridded daily means (Near Infrared Radiances) V109 109 Terra MOPITT 2018-03-25 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT Beta CO gridded daily means (Thermal Infrared Radiances) V109 109 Terra MOPITT 2018-03-25 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT Beta CO gridded monthly means (Near and Thermal Infrared Radiances) V109 109 Terra MOPITT 2018-03-01 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT Beta CO gridded monthly means (Near Infrared Radiances) V109 109 Terra MOPITT 2018-03-01 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT Beta CO gridded monthly means (Thermal Infrared Radiances) V109 109 Terra MOPITT 2018-03-01 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT CO gridded daily means (Near and Thermal Infrared Radiances) V009 9 Terra MOPITT 2000-03-03 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT CO gridded daily means (Near Infrared Radiances) V009 9 Terra MOPITT 2000-03-03 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT CO gridded daily means (Thermal Infrared Radiances) V009 9 Terra MOPITT 2000-03-03 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT CO gridded monthly means (Near and Thermal Infrared Radiances) V009 9 Terra MOPITT 2000-03-03 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT CO gridded monthly means (Near Infrared Radiances) V009 9 Terra MOPITT 2000-03-03 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
MOPITT CO gridded monthly means (Thermal Infrared Radiances) V009 9 Terra MOPITT 2000-03-03 to 2025-02-01

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

HDF-EOS5
NAAMES C-130 Aircraft Merge Data Files 1 C-130 Computer 2015-11-10 to 2017-09-22 ICARTT
NARSTO ICARTT NEAX 2004 DOE G-1 Air Chemistry, Aerosol, and Met Data 1 AIRCRAFT BAROMETERS, UV OZONE DETECTORS, PYRANOMETERS, HYGROMETERS, CHEMILUMINESCENCE, ION CHROMATOGRAPHS, ANEMOMETERS, THERMISTORS 2004-07-24 to 2004-08-11 ASCII
NARSTO SOS99NASH DOE G-1 Air Chemistry Data 1 G-1 AIRCRAFT BAROMETERS, AEROSOL COLLECTORS, HYGROMETERS, CHEMILUMINESCENCE, INFRARED THERMOMETERS, GUST PROBES, SPECTRORADIOMETERS 1999-06-26 to 1999-06-26 ASCII
ORACLES Merge Data Files 1 NASA P-3, NASA ER-2 Computer 2016-07-28 to 2019-03-23 NetCDF-4
POLARIS ER-2 Aircraft In-situ Trace Gas Data 1 NASA ER-2 Harvard CO2, AWAS, ACATS, HOx, ATLAS, CLONO2, SLS, NOAA O3 Classic, ALIAS 1997-04-16 to 1997-09-26 AMES
SARP 2010 Data 1 NASA DC-8 WAS, Picarro G2401, NDIR GAS ANALYZER, DADS 2010-06-28 to 2010-07-03

N: 38.18 S: 32.96 E: -115.34 W: -122.27

ICARTT
SASS (Subsonics Assessment) Ozone and NOx Experiment (SONEX) DC-8 In-Situ Trace Gas Data 1 NASA DC-8 WAS, ATHOS, FASTOZ, URI Instrument, CHEMILUMINESCENCE, SAGA, CIMS, DACOM, LICOR GAS EXCHANGE SYSTEM, PANAK 1997-10-07 to 1997-11-13 AMES
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Featured Carbon Monoxide Observation Method: MLS

The Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) flies aboard the Aura platform and is a passive microwave radiometer/spectrometer that measures vertical profiles of atmospheric gases, temperature, pressure, and cloud ice. MLS can detect carbon monoxide and its measurements are acquired globally day and night and can be obtained in the presence of ice clouds and aerosols. MLS data is often used in Stratospheric ozone layer stability, climate change, and air quality research. An MLS also was also aboard NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS).

Learn More About MLS
image collage of satellite data images of Earth

MLS Near Real-Time Data

Near real-time atmosphere, temperature, humidity, and cloud ice data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) are available through NASA's Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for Earth observation (LANCE).
image of MLS SIPS data over Antarctica

MLS Products Available in GIBS

In coordination with the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) team, we now have several MLS products available through the GIBS image access APIs.

Carbon Monoxide Data Tools

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