CERES A-Train Integrated CALIPSO, CloudSat, CERES, and MODIS (CCCM) Merged Release D1

CER_CCCM_Aqua-FM3-MODIS-CAL-CS_RelD1 is the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) A-Train Integrated Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO), CloudSat Cloudsat, CERES, and Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (CCCM) Merged Release D1 data product. Data was collected using the CALIOP on CALIPSO; Cloudsat Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR); and CERES Flight Model 3 (FM3), CERES Scanner, and MODIS, on Aqua.

The CALIPSO-CloudSat-CERES-MODIS (CCCM) data set integrates measurements from the CALIPSO CALIOP instrument, CloudSat Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR), CERES, and the MODIS data. The cloud and aerosol properties from CALIOP and cloud properties from the CPR are matched to a MODIS pixel and then an Aqua CERES footprint. The product contains only the CERES footprint in each scan that has the highest CALIPSO and CloudSat ground track coverage. The product consists of all cloud and aerosol properties derived from MODIS radiances included in the Single Scanner Footprint (SSF) product and computed irradiances included in the Cloud Radiative Swath (CRS) product. Two sets of SSF variables are included in the CCCM data. One set covers the entire CERES footprint, and the other set is only over CALIOP and CPR ground track. CERES-derived top-of-atmosphere (TOA) shortwave (SW), longwave (LW), and window (WN) irradiances by angular distribution models are also included. In addition, irradiance profiles computed by a radiative transfer model using MODIS, CALIOP, and CPR-derived aerosol, clouds, and surface properties are included in the product. Furthermore, MODIS-derived cloud properties from the algorithm that incorporates CALIOP instrument data and CPR cloud information are also included.

MODIS-derived cloud properties and TOA irradiances derived from CERES radiances are produced by the same algorithm that produces CERES SSF and CRS products. However, the CCCM product should not be considered as a climate data record since various input data product versions and algorithm modifications will occur along the course of the measurement period. The scan and packet numbers unique to the CERES footprint provide the means to match the data to other CERES products, although the CCCM product contains more near nadir CERES footprints compared with SSF and CRS products. The resulting HDF granule contains 24 hours of data.CERES is a key component of the Earth Observing System (EOS) program. The CERES instruments provide radiometric measurements of the Earth's atmosphere from three broadband channels.

CERES is a key component of the Earth Observing System (EOS) program. The CERES instruments provide radiometric measurements of the Earth's atmosphere from three broadband channels. The CERES missions are a follow-on to the successful Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) mission. The first CERES instrument, Proto-Flight Model (PFM), was launched on November 27, 1997 as part of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). Two CERES instruments, Flight Models 1 and 2 (FM1 and FM2) were launched into polar orbit onboard the Earth Observing System (EOS) flagship Terra on December 18, 1999. Two additional CERES instruments Flight Models 3 and 4 (FM3 and FM4) were launched onboard Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua on May 4, 2002. The CERES Flight Model 5 (FM5) instrument was launched onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite on October 28, 2011. The newest CERES instrument, Flight Model 6 (FM6), was launched onboard the Joint Polar-Orbiting Satellite System 1 (JPSS-1) satellite, now called NOAA-20, on November 18, 2017.

RelD1 incorporates the latest CERES SSF algorithms, and versions of the CALIPSO and CloudSat data. An additional input is the CloudSat 2C-ICE product. This version also includes single short CALIPSO cloud information.