IASI L2 sulphur dioxide (SO2) climate data record

Description

The IASI L2 sulphur dioxide (SO2) climate data record (CDR) provides SO2 columns and altitudes used to build global distributions of SO2. DOI: 10.15770/EUM_SAF_AC_0046

Type

Climate data record

Satellites and instruments

IASI/Metop-A and IASI/Metop-B

Algorithm version

Brescia v20180401_sp20200222

Time period

10/07/2007 - 15/09/2021 (IASI/Metop-A)
20/02/2013 - 31/12/2023 (IASI/Metop-B)

Theoretical basis

The IASI L2 SO2 CDR is based on a retrieval scheme including two algorithms. The first one is for the sounding of SO2 above ~5 km altitude. With the second one, information on the SO2 altitude can also be retrieved directly from the IASI measurements.

Processing

The Brescia algorithm is a dedicated radiative transfer and retrieval software for IASI. It was developed at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in collaboration with LATMOS, with the objective to provide global distributions of SO2.

Units and spatial resolution

SO2 total columns are given in Dobson units, and SO2 altitudes are given in metres. In 8 seconds a total of 120 views are collected over a swath of ∼2200 km, divided as 30 arrays of four individual pixels varying in size from 36 x π km² at nadir (circular pixel 12 km in diameter) to 10 x 20 x π km² at larger viewing angles.

Validation

This product is validated by AUTH and BIRA. Validation is based on detailed comparisons with ground-based and satellite data. See the validation report below for more details.

Archiving and dissemination

This product is available via the EUMETSAT Data Store.

File format and size

This product is available in NetCDF format, each day containing about 14 orbits/instrument. The size of each orbit is on the average 20 MB, which gives a total size of around 280 MB/day/instrument.