Sentinel-5P TROPOMI Aerosol Layer Height 1-Orbit L2 5.5km x 3.5km V2 (S5P_L2__AER_LH_HiR)

Copernicus Sentinel-5P TROPOMI aerosol layer height algorithm applies a forward model, which includes DISAMAR (Determining Instrument Specifications and Analyzing Methods for Atmospheric Retrieval, a Layer-Based Orders of Scattering algorithm) to calculate monochromatic reflectance, and also employs a neural network scheme for speedy processor performance. Data retrieval uses the Optimal Estimation Method (OEM) for spectral fitting with various aerosol layer pressures and aerosol optical thicknesses in the Oxygen-A band (758 -770nm).

The aerosol baseline model assumes a single uniformly distributed aerosol layer with a fixed pressure thickness and a constant aerosol volume extinction coefficient and single scattering albedo. The aerosol parameterization is particularly suitable for elevated non-scattering aerosols such as volcanic ash, desert dust and biomass burning plume. The product main outputs include the mid-pressure and mid-altitude of aerosol layers, aerosol optical thickness at 760nm, error estimates, and other relevant diagnostics.

Starting from orbit #12432 on March 7th of 2020, the S-NPP auxiliary cloud data source used in the aerosol layer height product data processing has been transitioned from the VIIRS Cloud Mask (VCM) into the Enterprise Cloud Mask (ECM).