Release of V2.00 Lidar Level 2 PSC mask
The CALIPSO mission team, in collaboration with the Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) at NASA Langley Research Center, announces the release of a new daily CALIOP Level 2 Polar Stratospheric Cloud (PSC) Mask Product:
- CAL_LID_L2_PSCMask-Standard-V2-00
The CALIPSO Lidar Level 2 Polar Stratospheric Cloud data product ensemble describes the spatial distribution, optical properties, and composition of PSC layers observed by the CALIPSO lidar (CALIOP). The product contains profiles of PSC presence, composition, optical properties, and meteorological information on a uniform 5-km horizontal x 180-m vertical grid along CALIPSO orbit tracks. Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) measurements of the primary PSC condensable vapors HNO3 and H2O and several parameters from the Aura MLS V2 Derived Meteorological Products (DMPs) are also included in the V2 PSC data product ensemble. Validation of the Level 2 PSC products is an on-going process. In the absence of simultaneous in situ particle observations, the CALIOP PSC detection and composition classification scheme can only be evaluated through comparison with other remote measurements that provide information on particle composition. All studies to date indicate that the PSC detection and composition algorithms are performing well.
Information about this new data product including data availability, user documentation and quality statements, relevant links, sample read software, and tools for working with the data, etc. can be found at the following ASDC link:
https://asdc.larc.nasa.gov.
An in-depth data quality summary and description can be found in the following CALIPSO links:
https://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov/resources/calipso_users_guide/qs/cal_lid_l2_pscmask_v2-00.php
https://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov/resources/calipso_users_guide/data_summaries/psc/cal_lid_l2_pscmask_v2-00_desc.php
