This page contains an overview of the documentation contained
in the two GEDEX CD-Roms. For each data set there is a detailed
description file and one or more summary files.
The description files contain information subdivided under
14 standard subheadings on the type of data, spatial and temporal
characteristics, instrument description, data processing sequence,
quality assessment, contacts for data production, output products
and availability, data access, archive information, references,
related data sets, summary/sample, and a final item for notes.
The detailed description files are accompanied by an introductory
outline file - aareadme.1st
There is a summary file for each parameter in the dataset,
which is a terse description of the type of data and the spatial
and temporal resolution.
These files whilst not relating directly to specific datasets
in the GEDEX collection, give descriptions of some of the level
1 products from which many of the data sets are derived. Pointers
to the level 1 description files are repeated with the relevant
instruments in the following section.
Nimbus-7 Earth Radiation Budget (ERB)
Earth and solar radiances in the ultraviolet, visible
and infrared regions are measured in 22 channels by the Earth
Radiation Budget (ERB) Instrument on the Nimbus-6 and -7 satellites.
Detailed description : erb_soli.det
Summary : Total Solar Irradiance erb_soli.sum
Radiation Budget Data from the ERB
The radiation budget of the Earth is described in terms
of Earth and solar irradiance. For the Earth Radiation Budget
(ERB) experiment on Nimbus-6 and 7, ten solar channels (labelled
1 through 10) measure incoming solar radiation. Four Earth- looking
channels (11 through 14) with fixed wide angle fields of view
(WFOV) measure radiation from the entire visible Earth disc.
Eight Earth-looking scanning channels with narrow angle fields
of view (NFOV) measure the angular dependence of Earth radiation.
Four of these channels (15 through 18) measure short wavelength
(reflected) radiation, while the other four (19 through 22) measure
the long wavelength (emitted) radiation. Longwave flux, Earth
albedo, and net radiation are derived separately from both the
WFOV and NFOV measurements
Detailed description : erbmatrx.det
Summary : Nimbus-7 Earth Radiation Budget's Gridded Product erbmatrx.sum
Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE)
Earth radiances and solar irradiances in the ultraviolet,
visible, and infrared spectral bands are measured by two instrument
packages on the ERBS, NOSS-9 and NOAA10 ERBE instruments.
Detailed description : erbe.det
Summary : NOAA-9, 10 and ERBS Satellite Data Combined erbe_s2.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - Scanner (NFOV) Nov 1984 erbesc84.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - Scanner (NFOV) Feb-Dec 1985
erbesc85.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - Scanner (NFOV) Jan-Dec 1986
erbesc86.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - Scanner (NFOV) Jan-Dec 1987
erbesc87.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - Scanner (NFOV) Jan-Dec 1988
erbesc88.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - WFOV Monthly Nov 1984 erbewf84.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - WFOV Monthly Feb-Dec 1985 erbewf85.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - WFOV Monthly Jan-Dec 1986 erbewf86.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - WFOV Monthly Jan-Dec 1987 erbewf87.sum
Summary : ERBE Gridded Product - WFOV Monthly Jan-Dec 1988 erbewf88.sum
Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
(AVHRR)
Visible and infrared radiances are measured in four or
five spectral channels by the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
(AVHRR). This instrument is part of the payload on the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar orbiting
satellite series. Sea Surface Temperatures are derived from the
measured radiances:
Detailed description : avhrr.det
Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment
I (SAGE I)
Solar radiance data at 4 wavelengths was obtained via
solar occultation during each satellite sunrise and sunset. Supporting
data include spacecraft location and velocity, specific conventionally
collected meteorological data including (as a function of pressure
level) temperature, temperature error, geopotential altitude,
density, and density error from 1000 millibars to 0.4 millibars.
Model meteorological data have been supplied for altitude and
temperature at 0.1 and 0.04 millibars. All data are time-tagged.
Instrument housekeeping data are also provided. Solar radiance
measurements are made at wavelengths of: 1.0, 0.6, 0.45 and 0.385
microns
Detailed description : aem2sag1.det
Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment
II (SAGE II)
Solar irradiance is measured through the Earth's atmosphere
during spacecraft sunrise and sunset. These data are used to
determine the distribution of aerosols, ozone, water vapor, and
nitrogen dioxide in the stratosphere. Measurements are made at
seven near-IR and visible wavelengths.
Detailed description : erbsage2.det
Summary : National Meteorological Center Meteorological Data
sage2met.sum
SAGE I & II Aerosol Profiles
Atmospheric mixing ratio profiles and number density profiles
for aerosol are measured during spacecraft sunrise and sunset.
Detailed description : aer_sage.det
Summary : SAGE I Aerosol Profiles sage1asl.sum
Summary : SAGE II Aerosol Profiles sage2asl.sum
Summary : SAGE II Aerosol Profiles 1985 sg2asl85.sum
Summary : SAGE II Aerosol Profiles 1986 sg2asl86.sum
Summary : SAGE II Aerosol Profiles 1987 sg2asl87.sum
Summary : SAGE II Aerosol Profiles 1988 sg2asl88.sum
Summary : SAGE II Aerosol Profiles 1989 sg2asl89.sum
Summary : SAGE II Aerosol Profiles 1990 sg2asl90.sum
SAGE I & II Water Vapour Profiles
Atmospheric extinction profiles and number density profiles
for water vapor are measured during spacecraft sunrise and sunset.
Detailed description : h2o_sage.det
Summary : SAGE II Water Vapour Profiles sage2h2o.sum
Summary : SAGE II Water Vapour Profiles 1986 sg2h2o86.sum
Summary : SAGE II Water Vapour Profiles 1987 sg2h2o87.sum
Summary : SAGE II Water Vapour Profiles 1988 sg2h2o88.sum
SAGE I & II Nitrogen Dioxide Profiles
Atmospheric mixing ratio profiles and number density profiles
for nitrogen dioxide are measured during spacecraft sunset only.
Detailed description : no2_sage.det
Summary : SAGE I Nitrogen Dioxide Profiles sage1no2.sum
Summary : SAGE II Nitrogen Dioxide Profiles sage2no2.sum
Summary : SAGE II Nitrogen Dioxide Profiles 1985 sg2no285.sum
Summary : SAGE II Nitrogen Dioxide Profiles 1986 sg2no286.sum
Summary : SAGE II Nitrogen Dioxide Profiles 1987 sg2no287.sum
Summary : SAGE II Nitrogen Dioxide Profiles 1988 sg2no288.sum
Summary : SAGE II Nitrogen Dioxide Profiles 1989 sg2no289.sum
SAGE I & II Ozone Profiles
Atmospheric mixing ratio profiles and number density profiles
for ozone are measured during spacecraft sunset only.
Detailed description : ozn_sage.det
Summary : SAGE I Ozone Profiles sage1_o3.sum
Summary : SAGE II Ozone Profiles sage2_o3.sum
Summary : SAGE II Ozone Profiles 1985 sg2ozo85.sum
Summary : SAGE II Ozone Profiles 1986 sg2ozo86.sum
Summary : SAGE II Ozone Profiles 1987 sg2ozo87.sum
Summary : SAGE II Ozone Profiles 1988 sg2ozo88.sum
Summary : SAGE II Ozone Profiles 1989 sg2ozo89.sum
TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder High-resolution
Infrared Radiometer (TOVS-HIRS)
Infrared and visible radiances measured in 20 spectral
channels by the High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS/2).
HIRS/2 is one of the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS)
instruments on-board the NOAA TIROS-N series satellites.
Detailed description : tovshirs.det
TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder Microwave
Sounding Unit (TOVS-MSU)
Brightness temperatures measured by four channels (50.3,
53.74, 54.96, and 57.95 GHz) of the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU).
MSU is one of the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) instruments
on board the TIROS-N/NOAA series satellites.
Detailed description : tovsmsu.det
TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder Stratospheric
Sounding Unit (TOVS-SSU)
Radiances measured by three far-infrared channels of Stratospheric
Sounding Unit (SSU). The SSU, contributed by the British government,
is one of TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) instruments
on board the TIROS-N/NOAA satellite.
Detailed description : tovsssu.det
Visible Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer
(VISSR)
Visible and infrared radiances are measured in two spectral
channels by the Visible and Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer (VISSR)
on the Synchronous Meteorological Satellite (SMS) series and
the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)
series. Eight visible detectors simultaneously scan the 0.55
to 0.75 micrometer region, while two infrared (IR) detectors
scan the 10.5 to 12.6 micrometer regions as the VISSR views the
Earth. These channels are used for day/night cloud mapping, surface
temperature determination, and weather forecasting.
Detailed description : vissr.det
VISSR Atmospheric Sounder
Visible and infrared radiances are measured in 13 calibrated
channels between 0.650 and 14.73 micrometers by the Visible Infrared
Spin-Scan Radiometer (VISSR) Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) on the
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES-4, -5,
-6 and -7). The data are useful for cloud mapping, surface and
atmospheric temperature determination and weather forecasting.
Detailed description : vas.det
Berlin Stratospheric Monthly Mean Temperatures
Global measurements of stratospheric temperatures covering
the period 1957 - 1991. Data obtained from radiosonde, balloon,
and rocketsonde observations.
Detailed description : bstratmp.det
Summary : bstratmp.sum
Climate Analysis Center Sea Surface
Temperatures
Sea Surface Temperature (SST) derived from from in situ
(ship-of-opportunity and fixed buoy) data and radiance data collected
from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). The
AVHRR retrievals were derived by the multichannel technique.
Detailed description : cacsst.det
Summary : Blended Sea Surface Temperatures cacsst_b.sum
Summary : Ice Limit Climatology" cacsst_c.sum
Summary : In-Situ Sea Surface Temperature cacsst_i.sum
Surface Irradiance at NOAA/CMDL Sites
Total solar irradiance is measured on a horizontal surface
near (within 15m of) the earth's surface.
Detailed description : cmdlsoli.det
Summary : Hourly Solar Irradiance cmdlsoli.sum
Atmospheric Solar Transmission Index
at Mauna Loa
Relative transmission derived from consecutive direct
solar irradiance measurements.
Detailed description : cmdlsolt.det
Summary : Daily Solar Transmission Index from Mauna Loa. cmdlsolt.sum
Climate Research Unit Southern Oscillation
Index
This dataset consists of the Tahiti/Darwin Southern Oscillation
Index (SOI), and the mean sea level pressure for both Tahiti
and Darwin.
Detailed description : cru_soi.det
Summary : The Tahiti/Darwin Southern Oscillation Index cru_soi.sum
Climate Research Unit Global Temperature
Anomalies
Land-based and sea surface temperature anomalies.
Detailed description : cru_tmpd.det
Summary : Temperature Deviations cru_tmpd.sum
GISS Global Temperature Anomalies
Surface air temperature deviations from the 1951-1980
average.
Detailed description : giss_tmp.det
Summary : Monthly Temperature Deviations, N. Hemisphere gisst_nh.sum
Summary : Monthly Temperature Deviations, S. Hemisphere gisst_sh.sum
Summary : Monthly Temperature Deviations, Zonal gisst_zn.sum
Summary : Monthly Temperature Deviations for Equal Area Boxes
gisstbox.sum
Summary : Monthly Temperature Deviations, Global gisstglb.sum
Summary : Monthly Temperature Deviations for Equal Area Subboxes
gisstsbx.sum
Trends '90: Data on Global Change
Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane
from selected measuring stations.
Detailed description : grnhouse.det
Summary file : Flask Samples Analyzed for Methane ch4flask.sum
Summary file : Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide from
ice cores co2_hist.sum
Summary file : NOAA CMDL CO2 Flask Sampling Program co2flask.sum
Summary file : CO2 Continuous Monitoring Program co2monit.sum
International Satellite Cloud Climatology
Project
This dataset contains a large number of averaged cloud
parameters physical quantities include IR radiance, temperature,
pressure, VIS radiance, reflectance, optical thickness, precipitable
water amount, and ozone column abundance.
Detailed description : isccpc.det
Summary file : ISCCP Monthly Cloud Product isccp_c2.sum
Lower Tropospheric Temperature Anomalies
from MSU
Retrieved brightness temperature anomalies for the lower-to-mid
troposphere (approximately surface to 400 mb), and the annual
cycle for 1982-90, about which these anomalies were computed.
Detailed description : msutmp.det
Summary : TOVS MSU Temperature Anomalies - Low Trop. Climatology
msutmp_c.sum
Summary : TOVS MSU Temperature Anomalies - Low Trop. Anomaly
msutmp_m.sum
Angell's QBO Temperature and Zonal Wind
This data set contains the east-west wind component, and
the temperature at three different pressure levels.
Detailed description : qbo_mon.det
Summary : Monthly QBO Wind and Temperature qbo_mon.sum
Monthly Mean Rawinsonde Observation
Data
Monthly mean rawinsonde station observations are available
for the 40-year period from 1950-1989.
Detailed description : raob_mon.det
Detailed description : raob_mon.sum
Radiation Budget from ERBE
Earth radiances and solar irradiances in the ultraviolet,
visible, and infrared spectral bands are measured by two instrument
packages on the ERBS, NOSS-9 and NOAA10 ERBE instruments. Albedo,
radiant exitances, and solar irradiances are the geophysical
parameters found in the ERBE Level-II and -III data sets.
Detailed description : rberbe.det
Angell's Total Ozone and Layer Ozone
from Umkehr and Ozonesonde
These datasets consist of the deviation of seasonal total
ozone for various regions and deviations of seasonal layer ozone
for various regions from ozonesonde and Umkehr.
Detailed description : slayr_o3.det
Summary : Seasonal Layer Ozone Deviations from Ozonesonde slayr_o3.sum
Summary : Seasonal Layer Ozone Deviations from Umkehr ulayr_o3.sum
SMM ACRIM Solar Irradiance
Total solar irradiance at one Astronomical Unit (1 A.U.),
integrated over .2 to 50 micrometer wavelengths. Standard error
is also calculated for each solar flux value.
Detailed description : smmacrim.det
Summary : SMM Total Solar Irradiance smmacrim.sum
Penticton 2800MHz Solar Radio Flux
Solar radio flux is measured from the undisturbed solar
surface, developing active regions on the sun and from short-lived
enhancements above the daily level. Values are recorded for the
actual observed, absolute and adjusted solar flux.
Detailed description : solrflux.det
Summary : Daily Values of Ground-Measured Solar Radio Flux solrflux.sum
Angell Global Temperature Deviations
Seasonal and yearly temperature deviations in the troposphere
and low stratosphere are measured for the 34-year period from
November 1957 - November 1991, using Jim Angell's Rawinsonde
Zonal Temperature Analysis
Detailed description : sondetmp.det
Summary : Atmospheric Temperature Deviation sondetmp.sum
World Monthly Surface Station Climatology
Surface measurements of pressure, elevation, temperature,
precipitation, relative humidity, ,vapour pressure, sunshine
% of average, sunshine duration and sea temperature (ships and
some costal stations. Data from over 3900 stations reporting
to the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Includes annual
means, 10- and 30-year monthly means, and 10- and 30-year annual
means in packed binary format.
Detailed description : ssclimat.det
Summary : Monthly Temp/Precip Means for Asia 1813 -1989 ss_asia.sum
Summary : Monthly Temp/Precip Means for Africa 1837 -1989 ssafrica.sum
Summary : Monthly Temp/Precip Means for Antarctica 1903 -1989
ssantarc.sum
Summary : Monthly Temp/Precip Means for Europe 1752 -1989 sseurope.sum
Summary : Monthly Temp/Precip Means for the Arctic 1816 -1989
ssarctic.sum
Summary : Monthly Temp/Precip Means for Australia 1839 -1989
ssaustrl.sum
Summary : Monthly Temp/Precip Means for N America 1738 -1989
ssn_amer.sum
Summary : Monthly Temp/Precip Means for S America 1850 -1989
sss_amer.sum
Summary : 10 year Global Station Temp/Precip Means 1750-1970
ssc10yrg.sum
Summary : 30 year Global Station Temp/Precip Means 1931-1970
ssc30yrg.sum
Summary : Global Station Annual Meteorological Means After 1961
ssc_yr61.sum
Summary : Global Station Annual Means of Temp/Precip. 1739-1989
ssc_yr_g.sum
Susskind TOVS Gridded Fields
The Susskind data set includes atmospheric and temperature
profiles and meteorological parameters such as, surface temperature,
layer mean temperature, outgoing longwave radiation, fractional
cloud cover and cloud top pressure, and precipitation estimates
that have been derived from soundings of the High Resolution
Infrared Radiation Sounder/2 (HIRS/2) and the Microwave Sounding
Unit (MSU) that are flown aboard the TIROS-N series satellites.
Detailed description : susktovs.det
Summary : Monthly Clear Air Precipitable H2O Profiles sskh2opr.sum
Summary : Monthly Meteorological Fields ssktovs.sum
Summary : Monthly Temperature Profiles ssktmppr.sum
Vinnikov, Groisman and Lugina Temperature
Anomalies
The mean monthly values of surface air temperature have
been taken from the archives of climate information available
on magnetic tape. The sources of this information include the
reference books "World Weather Records", "Monthly
Climatic Data for the World" and "Meteorological Data
for Individual Years over the Northern Hemisphere Excluding the
USSR", and are supplemented with information from various
national publications.
Detailed description : vgltmp.det
Summary : Annual Temperature Deviations vgl_atmp.sum
Summary : Monthly Temperature Deviations vgl_mtmp.sum
Summary : Seasonal Temperature Deviations vgl_stmp.sum
Summary : Northern Hemisphere Station Temperatures vglnhtmp.sum
Summary : Southern Hemisphere Station Temperatures vglshtmp.sum