ESA Cloud Climate Change Initiative (Cloud_cci): MODIS-TERRA monthly gridded cloud properties, version 2.0

The Cloud_cci MODIS-Terra dataset was generated within the Cloud_cci project (esa-cloud-cci.org) which was funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI) programme (Contract No.: 4000109870/13/I-NB). This dataset is one of the 6 datasets generated in Cloud_cci; all of them being based on passive-imager satellite measurements. This dataset is based on MODIS (onboard Terra) measurements and contains a variety of cloud properties which were derived employing the Community Cloud retrieval for Climate (CC4CL) retrieval system.

The core cloud properties contained in the Cloud_cci MODIS-Terra dataset are cloud mask/fraction, cloud phase, cloud top pressure/height/temperature, cloud optical thickness, cloud effective radius and cloud liquid/ice water path. Spectral cloud albedo is also included as experimental product. Level-3C product files contain monthly averages and histograms of the mentioned cloud properties together with propagated uncertainty measures.