Description

TL2MTLN_7 is the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES)/Aura Level 2 Methanol Nadir Version 7 data product. TES was an instrument aboard NASA's Aura satellite and was launched from California on July 15, 2004. Data collection for TES is complete. It consisted of information for one molecular species for an entire Global Survey or Special Observation. TES Level 2 data contains retrieved species (or temperature) profiles at the observation targets and the estimated errors. The geolocation, quality, and other data (e.g., surface characteristics for nadir observations) were also provided. L2 modeled spectra were evaluated using radiative transfer modeling algorithms. The process, referred to as retrieval, compared observed spectra to the modeled spectra and iteratively updated the atmospheric parameters. L2 standard product files included information for one molecular species (or temperature) for an entire global survey or special observation run. A global survey consisted of a maximum of 16 consecutive orbits. Nadir and limb observations were in separate L2 files, and a single ancillary file was composed of data that were common to both nadir and limb files. A nadir sequence within the TES Global Survey was a fixed number of observations within an orbit for a Global Survey. Prior to April 24, 2005, it consisted of two low resolution scans over the same ground locations. After April 24, 2005, Global Survey data consisted of three low resolution scans. The Nadir standard product consisted of four files, where each file was composed of the Global Survey Nadir observations from one of four focal planes for a single orbit, i.e. 72 orbit sequences. The Global Survey Limb observations used a repeating sequence of filter wheel positions. Special Observations could only be scheduled during the 9 or 10 orbit gaps in the Global Surveys, and were conducted in any of three basic modes: stare, transect, step-and-stare. The mode used depended on the science requirement. A Global Survey consisted of observations along 16 consecutive orbits at the start of a two day cycle, over which 4,608 retrievals were performed (1,152 nadir retrievals and 1,152 retrievals in time ordered sequence for each limb observation). Each observation was the input for retrievals of species volume mixing ratios (VMRs), temperature profiles, surface temperature and other data parameters with associated pressure levels, precision, total error, vertical resolution, total column density and other diagnostic quantities. Each TES Level 2 standard product reported information in a swath format conforming to the HDF-EOS Aura File Format Guidelines. Each Swath object was bounded by the number of observations in a global survey and a predefined set of pressure levels representing slices through the atmosphere. Each standard product could have had a variable number of observations depending upon the Global Survey configuration and whether averaging is employed. Also, missing or bad retrievals were not reported. The organization of data within the Swath object was based on a superset of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) pressure levels that was used to report concentrations of trace atmospheric gases. The reporting grid was the same pressure grid used for modeling. There were 67 reporting levels from 1211.53 hPa, which allowed for very high surface pressure conditions, to 0.1 hPa, about 65 km. In addition, the products reported values directly at the surface when possible or at the observed cloud top level. Thus in the Standard Product files each observation could potentially contain estimates for the concentration of a particular molecule at 67 different pressure levels within the atmosphere. However, for most retrieved profiles, the highest pressure levels were not observed due to a surface at lower pressure or cloud obscuration. For pressure levels corresponding to altitudes below the cloud top or surface, where measurements were not possible, a fill value was applied. To minimize the duplication of information between the individual species standard products, data fields common to each species (such as spacecraft coordinates, emissivity, and other data fields) have been collected into a separate standard product, termed the TES L2 Ancillary Data product (ESDT short name: TL2ANC). Users of this product should also obtain the Ancillary Data product.

DOI

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Resources and Documentation

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Earthdata Forum

DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE

TES Level 2 Read Software Package - Direct File Download (.tar)

PROFESSIONAL HOME PAGE

AURA Instrument Home Page

PROJECT HOME PAGE

TES project home page

VIEW RELATED INFORMATION

ALGORITHM THEORETICAL BASIS DOCUMENT (ATBD)

• NASA EOS ATB Documents: TES

DATA CITATION GUIDELINES

• How to cite ASDC data

DATA QUALITY

• Aura-TES L2 Products: Version 2 Data Quality Description
• Aura-TES L2 Products: Version 7 Data Quality Description

GENERAL DOCUMENTATION

• Overview of TES Data at the ASDC - 2015

PI DOCUMENTATION

• 2013 TES Data User Session Presentation - Direct File Download (.ppt)
• EOS Aura Science Team Meeting AGENDA, August 27 - August 29, 2019 Pasadena, CA, USA

PROCESSING HISTORY

• TES Data Processing Calendar
• TES Level 2 Versioning - Level 2 Standard and Special Observation Products

PRODUCT USAGE

• TES Langley ASDC Project Guide

PRODUCTION HISTORY

• Report of TES Level 2 Global Survey Products Available from the ASDC
• Report of TES Level 2 Limb Products Available from the ASDC
• Report of TES Level 2 Special Observation Products Available from the ASDC

PUBLICATIONS

• Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Article: On the trail of global pollution drift
• TES Publications

READ-ME

• Basic IDL Tools for extraction information from TES L2 HDF Product files

SCIENCE DATA PRODUCT VALIDATION

• Earth Observing System (EOS) Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) Data Validation Report (Version F08_11 data) - Version 7.0

USER FEEDBACK PAGE

• HDF Support Portal
• NASA Earthdata Forum - TES Project Specific Forum

USER'S GUIDE

• Earth Observing System (EOS) Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) Level 2 (L2) Data User’s Guide (Up to & including Version 7 data) - Version 7.0
• TES Level 2 (L2) Data User's Guide (Up to & including Version 8 data)

Keywords

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