Temperature Data Fields

Retrieved

The temperature profiles are calculated from retrieved number density, using a combination of hydrostatic balance and the ideal gas law (see details in [1]). This calculation requires the temperature or pressure at the top of the profile to be “pinned” to some value. Several temperature profiles are provided with different pin values. All temperatures are in Kelvin.

T_MSIS_pin:

The retrieved temperature when the upper temperature is pinned to the climatological value estimated from the NRLMSISE-00 model.

T_ANC_pin:

The retrieved temperature when the upper temperature is pinned to the value of MERRA2 data that is resampled to the measurement time and location.

T_MSIS_pres_pin:

The retrieved temperature when the upper pressure is pinned to the value of MERRA2 data that is resampled to the measurement time and location.

T_anc_pres_pin:

The retrieved temperature when the upper pressure is pinned to the value of MERRA2 data that is resampled to the measurement time and location.

T_zero_pin:

The retrieved temperature when the upper temperature is pinned at 0 K.

The estimated uncertainty is provided by

T_precision:

The precision estimated from random noise in the measurements.

The retrieved number density profile is also provided by:

number_density:

The retrieved Rayleigh scattering number density profile.

vertical_fwhm_log_nden:

The FWHM from the averaging kernel of the retrieved number density which gives an estimate of the vertical resolution, in km, of the retrieved temperature profile.

Additional Fields

albedo:

The retrieved albedo of the surface.

blackcarbon:

For some scans an absorber, black carbon, must be modeled in the troposphere to avoid negative albedo values. This variable is the vertical optical depth of the retrieved black carbon.

Ancillary

T_MSIS:

The climatological temperature estimated from the NRLMSISE-00 model.

T_anc:

The ancillary temperature created from MERRA2 resampled to measurement locations.

T_anc_avg_kernel_applied:

Ancillary MERRA2 temperature with averaging kernel applied.

P_MSIS:

The climatological pressure estimated from the NRLMSISE-00 model.

P_anc:

The ancillary pressure created from MERRA2 resampled to measurement locations.

Observation

sza:

Solar zenith angle at the 30 km point of each scan.

ssa:

Solar scattering angle at the 30 km point of each scan.

saa:

Solar azimuth angle at the 30 km point of each scan.

latitude:

Latitude at the 30 km point of each scan.

longitude:

Longitude at the 30 km point of each scan.

local_solar_time:

Local solar time at the 30 km point of each scan.

time:

Time corresponding to 30 km altitude in each scan.

Retrieval

chi_sq:

chi sq value of the stratospheric temperature retrieval.

convergence_ratio:

Convergence ratio of the stratospheric temperature retrieval.

Additional

delta_pres_to_reference:

Difference in pressure from the reference pin altitude.

pin_altitude:

Altitude where the retrieved temperature is pinned to the reference value. This is the the top of retrieved profile.