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NOAA Climate Data Record of Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) Mean Atmospheric Layer Temperature, Version 1.2 (Version Superseded)


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    dateStamp:  2023-09-19
    metadataStandardName:  ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data
    metadataStandardVersion:  ISO 19115-2:2009(E)
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    identificationInfo:  (MD_DataIdentification)
        citation:  (CI_Citation)
            title:  NOAA Climate Data Record of Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) Mean Atmospheric Layer Temperature, Version 1.2 (Version Superseded)
            alternateTitle:  MSU Mean Layer Temperature - NOAA
            date:  (CI_Date)
                date:  2009-03-05
                dateType:  (CI_DateTypeCode) publication
            date:  (CI_Date)
                date:  2014-06-11
                dateType:  (CI_DateTypeCode) revision
            edition:  Version 1.2
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                  Anchor:  DOI doi:10.7289/V5RB72J1
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                code:  NCEI DSI 3709_01
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                code:  gov.noaa.ncdc:C00757
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                        postalCode:  28801-5001
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                        electronicMailAddress:  ncdc.metadata@noaa.gov
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                        name:  STAR Microwave Sounding Calibration and Trends
                        description:  This is the project website for NOAA/STAR Microwave Sounding Calibration and Trends (MSCAT). MSU/AMSU/SSU related TCDR Datasets can be downloaded from this website
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                        name:  Operational Climate Data Records (CDRs)
                        description:  Information, documentation, and data access for the MSU TCDR can be found on this site
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        abstract:  *Note: This dataset version has been superseded by a newer version. It is highly recommended that users access the current version. Users should only use this version for special cases, such as reproducing studies that used this version.* The dataset contains three MSU channel-based, monthly gridded atmospheric layer temperature Climate Data Records generated by merging nine NOAA polar orbiting satellites, TRIOS-N and NOAA-6 through NOAA-14. These are temperatures of middle-troposphere (TMT), upper-troposphere (TUT, also known as temperature troposphere stratosphere), and lower-stratosphere (TLS), corresponding to measurements from MSU channels 2, 3, and 4, respectively. These products have global coverage with a 2.5 latitudes by 2.5 longitude grid resolution. Time period is from November 1978 through September 2006. Adjustments of observations included limb-adjustment, diurnal drift corrections, warm target temperature effect, and residual inter-satellite bias removal.
        purpose:  The dataset is used for monitoring and investigation of long-term temperature trend and variability for the atmospheric layers as defined by TMT, TUT, and TLS.
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                    postalCode:  28801-5001
                    country:  USA
                    electronicMailAddress:  cdr-ipt-atmospheric_temp@noaa.gov
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            fileName: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/metadata/images/C00757.PNG
            fileDescription:  Merged Monthly Deep Layer Temperature
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                    date:  2018
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                edition:  Version 8.6
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                    organisationName:  Global Change Data Center, Science and Exploration Directorate, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
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                            description:  The information provided on this page seeks to define how the GCMD Keywords are structured, used and accessed. It also provides information on how users can participate in the further development of the keywords.
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            keyword:  Upper Air Temperature
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                title:  Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Essential Climate Variables (ECVs)
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                    date:  2017
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                            description:  The information provided on this page seeks to define how the GCMD Keywords are structured, used and accessed. It also provides information on how users can participate in the further development of the keywords.
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            keyword:  MSU > Microwave Sounding Unit
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                            description:  The information provided on this page seeks to define how the GCMD Keywords are structured, used and accessed. It also provides information on how users can participate in the further development of the keywords.
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            keyword:  DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC > National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
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        resourceConstraints:  (MD_Constraints)
            useLimitation:  *Note: This dataset version has been superseded by a newer version. It is highly recommended that users access the current version. Users should only use this version for special cases, such as reproducing studies that used this version.*
        resourceConstraints:  (MD_Constraints)
            useLimitation:  The temperatures as defined by the datasets are mean layer temperatures which are not suitable for temperature trend determination at specific atmospheric levels. Satellite retrievals must be conducted to obtain level temperatures.
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            useConstraints:  (MD_RestrictionCode) otherRestrictions
            otherConstraints:  Cite as: Cheng-Zhi Zou, Wenhui Wang, Jian Li, and NOAA CDR Program (2014). NOAA Climate Data Record of MSU Mean Layer Temperatures, Version 1.2. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V5RB72J1 [access date].
        resourceConstraints:  (MD_LegalConstraints)
            accessConstraints:  (MD_RestrictionCode) otherRestrictions
            otherConstraints:  Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
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            otherConstraints:  Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
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                title:  Stability of the MSU-derived atmospheric temperature trend
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                    date:  2010-11-01
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                edition:  Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, Vol. 27
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                title:  MSU Mean Layer Temperature CDR Overview
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                            name:  Overview of the MSU Mean Layer Temperature CDR
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              Distance:  110000
        language:  eng; USA
        topicCategory:  (MD_TopicCategoryCode) climatologyMeteorologyAtmosphere
        environmentDescription:  Computer hardware minimum configuration for data processing is as follows: Processor: 2.0GHz, Memory: 100 MB, Disk Space 100 GB, A system with multiple CPUs is preferred, Operating System can be Linux or Windows, Programming Languages: JAVA and Bash script, Compilers: Sun JAVA Compiler, External Library : NetCDF-JAVA 4.1; Jscience4.3, Storage Requirement : 100GB, Execution Time Requirement: Single CPU ~20 hours for 9 satellites, Varied when using parallel computing
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                westBoundLongitude:  -180.0
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                southBoundLatitude:  -90.0
                northBoundLatitude:  90.0
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                    description:  ground condition
                    beginPosition:  1978-11
                    endPosition:  2006-09
                    timeInterval:  1
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                fees:  In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
                orderingInstructions:  Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
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            nameOfMeasure:  Measure of Absolute External Positional Accuracy
            measureDescription:  Inter-satellite biases for each satellite pair during their overlapped observational period is evaluated as an indicator of the product quality and accuracy of merging algorithm. Mean inter-satellite biases were shown to be zero and standard deviations were minimized compared to those without bias corrections. These indicated high quality and accuracy of the merged products.
            result: (missing)
        lineage:  (LI_Lineage)
            statement:  The Microwave Sounding Units (MSU) on board the NOAA Polar Orbiting Satellite series (POES) have been the primary instruments for measuring upper-air temperature profiles under all weather conditions, excluding precipitation, during 1978-2007. MSU was a microwave Dicke radiometer with four-channels to make passive measurements in the 5.5 millimeter oxygen region. The radiance measured by each frequency channel comes from a different layer of the atmosphere, depending on the strength of the absorption at that frequency. The percentage contribution of individual levels within the layer to the measured layer temperature is represented by a vertical weighting function, which is typically bell-shaped, peaking at a certain level in the height coordinate. Among these, MSU channel 1 (50.3 GHz) measured surface temperature, while channels 2, 3 and 4 measured temperatures of the middle-troposphere (TMT), upper-troposphere (TUT), and lower-stratosphere (TLS) with their weighting functions peaking respectively near 550, 250, and 100 hPa. By merging MSU observations from different satellites, long-term temperature time series are obtained for these layers for climate trend monitoring and investigation. Due to stability, continuity, global coverage, and insensitive to clouds, these time series are broadly used as an indicator of global warming.
            processStep:  (LE_ProcessStep)
                description:  The following steps and algorithms are needed to derive the atmospheric layer temperature TCDR: 1) Extracting limb-adjusted MSU swath brightness temperatures on scan positions for channels 2, 3 and 4 from the IMICA calibrated MSU orbital Level-1c datasets. 2) Adjusting the MSU brightness temperatures for diurnal drift effect at each scan position. 3) Binning limb- and diurnal-adjusted brightness temperatures at scan positions into grid cells of 2.50x2.50 spatial resolution in monthly interval for each satellite and then averaging the binned data at each grid cell to produce Level-3 layer temperature data for each satellite. 4) Removing residual inter-satellite biases including instrument temperature effect using satellite overlap observations of the Level-3 data. 5) Bias-removed, multiple satellite Level-3 temperature data are then averaged to generate a 28-year long, merged and homogeneous layer temperature TCDR from 1978 to 2007. The final product is saved as NetCDF format
                rationale:  The main purpose of the merging algorithm or processing steps is to derive homogeneous temperature CDR from the sequential overlapping MSU observations onboard NOAA polar orbiting satellites channel by channel. Deriving such time series requires a number of steps: 1) Inter-calibrating the satellite sensors, 2) Removing instrument temperature effects on observations, 3) Adjusting the observations to a common reference time (usually chosen as local noon time) to minimize diurnal effect related to satellite orbital drifts, 4) Adjusting observations made at different viewing angles to nadir views (limb effect), 5) Removing residual inter-satellite biases and their drifts. The Level-1c radiances data used for deriving the layer temperature TCDR were already inter-calibrated by the Integrated Microwave Inter-Calibration Approach (IMICA, formerly known as simultaneous nadir overpass approach; Zou and Wang 2013). In addition, limb-adjusted brightness temperatures are also provided in the IMICA calibrated Level-1c files. As such, only adjustments other than sensor inter-calibrations and limb-adjustments were needed for satellite merging. The IMICA calibrated MSU radiances and limb adjustments were described in details in the C-ATBD associated with the MSU Level-1c radiance dataset (Zou and Wang 2013). This has substantially simplified the processing procedure for developing MSU layer temperature TCDR.
                dateTime: (missing)
                processor:  (CI_ResponsibleParty)
                    organisationName:  NOAA/NESDIS/Center for Satellite Applications and Research
                    role:  (CI_RoleCode) processor
                source:  sd001
                processingInformation:  (LE_Processing)
                    identifier:  (MD_Identifier)
                        code:  N/A
                    documentation:  (CI_Citation)
                        title:  MSU Mean Layer Temperature Data Flow Diagram
                        date: (missing)
                        citedResponsibleParty:  (CI_ResponsibleParty)
                            organisationName:  DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
                            role:  (CI_RoleCode) distributor
                        citedResponsibleParty:  (CI_ResponsibleParty)
                            organisationName: (missing)
                            contactInfo:  (CI_Contact)
                                onlineResource:  (CI_OnlineResource)
                                    linkage: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/sds/cdr/CDRs/MSU%20Mean%20Layer%20Temperature%20-%20NOAA/DataFlowDiagram.pdf
                                    description:  The Data Flow Diagram for MSU CDR shows an overview of the steps used to produce the dataset.
                                    function:  (CI_OnLineFunctionCode) information
                            role: (missing)
                    algorithm:  (LE_Algorithm)
                        citation:  (CI_Citation)
                            title:  NOAA MSU Mean Layer Temperature C-ATBD
                            date:  (CI_Date)
                                date:  2014-03
                                dateType:  (CI_DateTypeCode) publication
                            edition:  Revision 1.0
                            citedResponsibleParty:  (CI_ResponsibleParty)
                                organisationName:  DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
                                role:  (CI_RoleCode) distributor
                            citedResponsibleParty:  (CI_ResponsibleParty)
                                organisationName: (missing)
                                contactInfo:  (CI_Contact)
                                    onlineResource:  (CI_OnlineResource)
                                        linkage: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/sds/cdr/CDRs/MSU%20Mean%20Layer%20Temperature%20-%20NOAA/AlgorithmDescription.pdf
                                        description:  The C-ATBD for the MSU Mean Layer Temperature CDR describes the algorithms and processing steps used in production of the dataset.
                                role: (missing)
                        description:  See Algorithm Citation
            source:  (LE_Source)
                description:  The level 1c Brightness Temperature CDR provided the source data for the three channel-based, monthly gridded atmospheric layer temperature TCDR
                sourceCitation:  (CI_Citation)
                    title:  NOAA Fundamental Climate Data Record (FCDR) of MSU Level 1c Brightness Temperature, Version 1.0
                    date:  (CI_Date)
                        date:  2014-03-01
                        dateType:  (CI_DateTypeCode) publication
                    edition:  Version 1.2
                    citedResponsibleParty:  (CI_ResponsibleParty)
                        organisationName:  DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
                        role:  (CI_RoleCode) distributor
                    citedResponsibleParty:  (CI_ResponsibleParty)
                        organisationName: (missing)
                        contactInfo:  (CI_Contact)
                            onlineResource:  (CI_OnlineResource)
                                linkage: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/metadata/geoportal/rest/metadata/item/gov.noaa.ncdc:C00786/html
                        role: (missing)
                sourceExtent:  (EX_Extent)
                    geographicElement:  (EX_GeographicBoundingBox)
                        extentTypeCode:  1
                        westBoundLongitude:  180
                        eastBoundLongitude:  180
                        southBoundLatitude:  -90
                        northBoundLatitude:  90
                    temporalElement:  (EX_TemporalExtent)
                        extent:
                          TimePeriod:
                            beginPosition:  1978-11
                            endPosition:  2006-09
                sourceStep:  ps001
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    dataQualityInfo:  (DQ_DataQuality)
        scope:  (DQ_Scope)
            level:  (MD_ScopeCode) repository
            levelDescription:  (MD_ScopeDescription)
                other:  NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
        lineage:  (LI_Lineage)
            processStep:  (LE_ProcessStep)
                description:  NOAA created the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) by merging NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), including the National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), per the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. NCEI launched publicly on April 22, 2015.
                dateTime:
                  DateTime:  2015-04-22T00:00:00
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    metadataMaintenance:  (MD_MaintenanceInformation)
        maintenanceAndUpdateFrequency:  (MD_MaintenanceFrequencyCode) asNeeded
        maintenanceNote:  Bulk metadata change applied on 2023-06-23. See version control repository history for metadata change details.