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CERES Clouds and Computed Flux Profile Processing Data Sets

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CERES Data Products | ERBE-like Processing | Clouds and TOA/SFC Flux Processing | Processing Level Details

CERES Clouds and Computed Flux Profile uses radiative transfer code to model in atmosphere as well as surface fluxes. Treatment of clouds using VIRS/MODIS retrieved cloud properties, multi-constituent aerosols with satellite retrieved optical depths, scene and spectrally dependent surface boundary conditions. Time-space averaging using geostationary based cloud properties and grid scale radiative transfer.

Image map for Clouds and Computed Flux Profile data flow. Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) Monthly Gridded Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (FSW) Synoptic Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (SYN) Monthly Regional Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (AVG) Monthly Zonal and Global Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (ZAVG)
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View the complete CERES processing and data flow diagram.

More details on CERES Complex Processing Data Sets: CRS | FSW | SYN | AVG | ZAVG

Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS)
The Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) product contains one hour of instantaneous Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data for a single scanner instrument. The CRS contains all of the CERES SSF product data. For each CERES FOV on the SSF, the CRS also contains vertical flux profiles evaluated at five levels in the atmosphere: the surface, 500 hPa, 200 hPa, 70 hPa, and the TOA. After an initial pass through the radiative transfer model, the input parameters to the model are adjusted and a constrained pass through the model is made for both clear sky and total sky. If the FOV is overcast, clear sky fluxes are still calculated.
File Temporal Coverage: Instantaneous
File Spatial Coverage: CERES FOV
Product Type: Clouds and Computed Flux Profile
Product Level: 2
File Frequency: 1/hour
Nominal Size/File: 85 MB
Applicable Studies: Cloud and aerosol properties comparison
Cloud and aerosol radiative forcing estimate or comparison with other estimate
Comparison of radiation, aerosol and cloud properties with model other then GCM (ie. LES, CRM)
Flux calculation with simple transfer model
In situ Flux comparison over particular region
Interpretation of radiation cloud and aerosol property variability
Documents: Description/Abstract
more details | order data
Monthly Gridded Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (FSW)
The Monthly Gridded Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (FSW) archival data product contains hourly single scanner flux and cloud parameters averaged over 1.0-degree regions. Input to the FSW Subsystem is the Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) archival data product. Each FSW covers a single month swath from a single CERES instrument mounted on one satellite. The product is written in HDF and contains metadata as well as gridded science data. The HDF product for TRMM consists of eight files, each containing data for ten 1.0-degree equal-angle zones. The HDF product for Terra and Aqua consists of 60 files, each containing data for three 1.0-degree equal-angle zones. Each record contains spatially averaged data for an individual region.
File Temporal Coverage: Hourly
File Spatial Coverage: Gridded regional
Product Type: Clouds and Computed Flux Profile
Product Level: 3
File Frequency: #zones/month
Nominal Size/File: 100 MB
Applicable Studies: Cloud and aerosol properties comparison
Cloud and aerosol radiative forcing estimate or comparison with other estimate
Comparison of radiation, aerosol and cloud properties with model other then GCM (ie. LES, CRM)
Comparison with GCMs
Flux calculation with simple transfer model
In situ Flux comparison over particular region
Interpretation of radiation cloud and aerosol property variability
Documents: Description/Abstract
more details | order data
Synoptic Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (SYN)
The Synoptic Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (SYN) product contains a day of space and time averaged Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data for a single scanner instrument. The 1-degree regional flux at the hour of observation from the CERES FSW product and concurrent diurnal data from geostationary satellites are used to estimate the regional flux at 3-hour GMT based intervals. Also at 3-hour intervals are estimates of the adjusted (tuned) fluxes at the five atmospheric levels as defined by the CERES CRS product for both clear-sky and totalsky scenes, estimates of the average cloud parameters in four cloud height categories, and averaged cloud parameters.
File Temporal Coverage: 3 Hourly Average
File Spatial Coverage: Gridded regional
Product Type: Clouds and Computed Flux Profile
Product Level: 3
File Frequency: 1/day
Nominal Size/File: 256 MB
Applicable Studies: Cloud and aerosol properties comparison
Cloud and aerosol radiative forcing estimate or comparison with other estimate
Comparison of radiation, aerosol and cloud properties with model other then GCM (ie. LES, CRM)
Comparison with GCMs
Flux calculation with simple transfer model
In situ Flux comparison over particular region
Interpretation of radiation cloud and aerosol property variability
Documents: Description/Abstract
more details | order data
Monthly Regional Radiative and Clouds (AVG)
The monthly Regional Radiative and Clouds (AVG) product contains monthly and monthly hourly (3-hour) averages of the Synoptic Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (SYN) product. This product is the CERES equivalent of the monthly regional averages in the ERBE ES-4 product of the CERES untuned and tuned radiative transfer modeled fluxes. This product is written in HDF_EOS and contains meta data as well as gridded science data.
File Temporal Coverage: Monthly
File Spatial Coverage: Globally averaged, Gridded regional
Product Type: Clouds and Computed Flux Profile
Product Level: 3
File Frequency: 1/month
Nominal Size/File: 630 MB
Applicable Studies: Cloud and aerosol properties comparison
Cloud and aerosol radiative forcing estimate or comparison with other estimate
Comparison of radiation, aerosol and cloud properties with model other then GCM (ie. LES, CRM)
Comparison with GCMs
Flux calculation with simple transfer model
In situ Flux comparison over particular region
Interpretation of radiation cloud and aerosol property variability
Documents: Description/Abstract
more details | order data
Monthly Zonal and Global Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (ZAVG)
The Monthly Zonal and Global Radiative Fluxes and Clouds (ZAVG) product are the zonal and global averages of the monthly Regional Radiative and Clouds (AVG) product. This product is the CERES equivalent of the zonal and global averages in the ERBE ES-4 product of the CERES untuned and tuned radiative transfer modeled fluxes. This product is written in HDF_EOS and contains meta data as well as gridded science data.
File Temporal Coverage: Monthly
File Spatial Coverage: Zonally averaged
Product Type: Clouds and Computed Flux Profile
Product Level: 3
File Frequency: 1/month
Nominal Size/File: 4 MB
Applicable Studies: Cloud and aerosol properties comparison
Cloud and aerosol radiative forcing estimate or comparison with other estimate
Comparison of radiation, aerosol and cloud properties with model other then GCM (ie. LES, CRM)
Comparison with GCMs
Flux calculation with simple transfer model
In situ Flux comparison over particular region
Interpretation of radiation cloud and aerosol property variability
Documents: Description/Abstract
more details | order data

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