GCOS Essential Climate Variables - Atmospheric - Surface

Facilitating Access to Global Observing Systems Data and Information

GCOS Essential Climate Variables (ECV)
Atmospheric Surface/Air Temperature

Air Temperature: Meteorological observatories measure the temperature of the air near the surface of the Earth usually using thermometers placed in a Stevenson screen, a standardized well-ventilated white-pained instrument shelter. (WMO Instruments and Observation Methods Report # 66)

Launched into Earth-orbit on May 4, 2002, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) represents the most advanced atmospheric sounding system ever deployed in space. AIRS uses cutting-edge infrared technology to create 3-dimensional maps of air and surface temperature, water vapor, and cloud properties. With 2378 spectral channels, AIRS has a spectral resolution more than 100 times greater than previous IR sounders and provides more accurate information on the vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and moisture. (from the NASA Airs web site) More...

[ECV Matrix Main Page] [About the ECV Matrix] [Reference Documents] [Contact] [Updated July 26, 2010]

Non-satellite or in-situ

Satellite

Annual Anomalies of Global Average Surface Temperature Data (JMA) (data) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

Daily Global Historical Climatology Network Data (GHCN DAILY Version 2.1) (NOAA/NCDC) (data) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

GCOS Monthly Surface Network Data (GSNMON) (NOAA/NCDC) (data) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

GCOS Surface Network Monitoring Centre Monthly Data (GSNMC) (DWD) (data) (products) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

Global Surface Summary of Day Data (GSOD) (NOAA/NCDC) (data) (metadata) (station list) (data documentation) (contact)

IPCC AR4 Observations (IPCC) (data) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

IPCC High Resolution Observational Climatologies (IPCC) (data) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

Monthly Global Historical Climatology Network Data (GHCN MONTHLY Version 2) (NOAA/NCDC) (data) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

Monthly Global Surface Data (DSI-3500) (NOAA/NCDC) (data) (GIS interface) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

Tropical Moored Buoys Data (TAO/TRITON (Pacific); PIRATA (Atlantic); and RAMA (Indian Ocean) Arrays (NOAA/NDBC) (data) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

U.S. Historical Climatology Network Database - Daily & Monthly Data (US HCN) (CDIAC/ORNL) (data) (map interface) (metadata) (data documentation) (contact)

Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) Observations (NOAA/NDBC) (data) (metadata) (data documentation) (Program Information) (contact)

AIRS Weather and Climate from Space Products (NASA/JPL) (data/products) (global daytime air temperature map) (global nightime air temperature map) (metadata) (data documentation) (data validation) (AIRS instrument) (contact)

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