CALIPSO Lidar Level 2 1/3km Cloud Layer data, Validated Stage 1 V3-30

CAL_LID_L2_333mCLay-ValStage1-V3-30 data are Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) Lidar Level 2 1/3km (333m) cloud layer data, Validated Stage 1 Version 3-30. Data collection for this product is complete. Within the Lidar Cloud Layer Product there are two general classes of data: Column Properties (including position data and viewing geometry) and Layer Properties. The lidar layer products consist of a sequence of column descriptors, each one of which is associated with a variable number of layer descriptors. The column descriptors specify the temporal and geo-physical location of the column of the atmosphere through which a given lidar pulse travels. Also included in the column descriptors are indicators of surface lighting conditions, information about the surface type, and the number of features (e.g., cloud and/or aerosol layers) identified within the column. For each feature within a column, a set of layer descriptors is reported. The layer descriptors provide information about the spatial and optical characteristics of a feature, such as base and top altitudes, integrated attenuated backscatter, and optical depth. New parameters for the V3-01 product include column optical depths, layer top pressure, layer base pressure, layer mid-point pressure, layer top temperature, and layer base temperature. The science algorithms used to produce the V3.30 Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) data products are identical to those used to generate the V3.01 and V3.02 products; however, some of the ancillary data used in the V3.30 analyses are different. All CALIOP data products rely on meteorological data provided by NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO). The V3.01 and V3.02 data products were produced using the GMAO's GEOS 5.2 data products. CALIPSO was launched on April 28, 2006 to study the impact of clouds and aerosols on the Earth's radiation budget and climate. It flies in the international A-Train constellation for coincident Earth observations. The CALIPSO satellite is comprised of three instruments, CALIOP, the Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR), and the Wide Field Camera (WFC). CALIPSO is a joint satellite mission between NASA and the French Agency, CNES.