A-Train Data Depot

IMPORTANT MESSAGE Feb 04, 2013 CloudSat collocated subsets

1) Issues with the CloudSat spacecraft in 2011-2012 resulted in collocated subsets gap for the period June 29, 2011 - May 14, 2012. This is a reference gap period for the purposes of A-Train Data Depot, using MODIS-collocation criteria. Concerning OMI, because of its wider swath and orbit-long granules, the collocated subset data gap may be smaller.

Users should be very considerate of the location of CloudSat with respect to Aura (OMI, MLS, TES, HIRDLS), Aqua (MODIS, AIRS, AMSR-E, CERES), and CALIPSO. During the gap period, the CloudSat satellite drifted off and was not in formation flying with these A-Train satellites.

2) The OMI products, OMNO2 and OMTO3, require revisions to the subset production software. While we are searching for an appropriate solution, we regret the production of the OMNO2_CPR and OMTO3_CPR subsets is halted until further notice, and data past 2011 are not available.

The A-Train Data Depot (ATDD) has been developed to process, archive, allow access to, visualize, analyze and correlate distributed atmospheric measurements from A-Train instruments. The ATDD portal provides easy on-line data access and services for science, applications, and educational use so that users get exactly the data they want, and not large files of data which would take much time and effort by individuals to be co-registered and refined.

On September 15, 2009, the A-Train formation happened to fly over the super-typhoon Choi-wan. Just one such event can yield enormous amounts of data of various science content and format from the diverse A-Train sensors. Plotting quickly retrievals like cloud profiles, cloud top temperatures, rain rates, water vapor content, etc., for head-to-head previews, is the strength of the Giovanni web tool. An example of the tool output is shown on the left. Apart from these 2-dimensional plots, Giovanni provides KMZ (GoogleEarth) format of the vertical atmospheric profiles (far left). Thus, it is now possible to combine horizontal and vertical data layers in one three-dimensional object, and preview data from different geometrical aspects. The far left plate shows a snapshot from a GoogleEarth KMZ file where CloudSat profiles are pictured together with MODIS/Aqua true-color image, and AMSR-E rain rate.

(Download the KMZ).

A-Train Data Depot:

Facilitates the visibility of participating A-Train missions.
Provides data previews through GIOVANNI.
Provides MODIS/Aqua subsets collocated with CloudSat and MLS.
Provides Google-Earth KMZ files of CALIPSO expedited browse (in collaboration with LaRC), and many other vertical profiles in Giovanni