Vegetation and meteorological observations (snow and radiation) were collected by various ground instruments in an area of forest near Abisko (Sweden) during measurement campaigns in March and April 2011. This data is made available through the BADC. This is a NERC funded project.

The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument makes accurate measurements of the Earth Radiation Budget. It was specifically designed to be mounted on a geostationary satellite and was carried onboard the Meteosat Second Generation satellite operated by European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). The first GERB instrument, GERB-2, was onboard Meteosat Second Generation satellite, MSG-1, and began transmitting data on 12th December 2002. GERB-1 was launched onboard MSG-2 on 21st December 2005. Future GERB sensors units are planned for MSG-3 and MSG-4. This dataset collection contains the incident and reflected solar radiation together with thermal radiation emitted by the Earth's atmosphere. The amount of solar radiation absorbed is the difference between the the incoming and reflected solar radiation and is the energy source of the Earth-atmosphere system. The thermal radiation emitted by the atmosphere is the only sink of energy so, therefore, the budget is the difference between the two. Seasonal changes in the ERB are mainly due to changes in incoming solar radiation but there is a large amount of variability on timescales of hours to days, mainly due to clouds. The global coverage and sampling frequency required for accurate climate models requires that ERB measurements are made from satellites.

The AUTEX / WINTEX (Autumn and Winter Experiments) project was a Met Office campaign on board the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) aircraft, that collected cloud physics and radiation data over the UK, from October 2004 to February 2007. The dataset collection contains measurements of water vapour distribution in both the horizontal and the vertical, mixed phase cloud structure and ice initiation in cumulus clouds. They also included studies into sea surface reflectance at low solar zenith angles, cirrus cloud radiative properties, microwave signature of 'bright band', clear air spectroscopy at night, clear air spectroscopy in the infrared and far infrared, land surface emissivity studies and the effect of inhomogeneity in clouds at low solar zenith angles. FAAM Bae-146 non-core data is now public, but raw Bae-146 core data is restricted to the FAAM staff.

This dataset contains Level 2 averaged rectified geolocated radiance and flux data (L2arg) taken at 17 minute time resolution. Each grid point is a 3 GERB scan average weighted by the instrument point spread function. The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument makes accurate broadband measurements of earth leaving radiances from the geostationary METOSAT Second Generation satellites from which the emitted thermal and reflected solar components of the Earth Radiation Budget are derived. These data are available at high time resolution for the portion of the globe observable from a METEOSAT geostationary orbit above 0, 0. These data are ideal for studying fast variation in the radiation budget such as those associated with changing cloud conditions, aerosol events and the diurnal cycle. GERB 2 (METEOSAT-8) record covers the period March 2004 to April 2007. GERB 1 (METEOSAT-9) record covers the period May 2007 to January 2013. Users must read the quality summary associated with these data and will find details of user applied correction that are recommended to be applied to these datasets before using. Please also cite Harries et al., 2005: The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget Project, Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc., Vol. 86, 945-960, doi: 10.1175/BAMS-86-7-945. The level 2 ARG (Averaged, Rectified, Geolocated) top of atmosphere radiance and flux products are averaged over three interleaved SW and TOT GERB scans. They are provided interpolated to a fixed rectified equal viewing angle grid and averaged resulting in a product with a temporal resolution of around 17 minutes. Times contained in the level 2 ARG product names indicate the nominal start of the integration period. North-south and east-west grid spacing is around 0.07° in viewing angle giving a spatial resolution of approximately 45 km at nadir. Whilst the radiances and fluxes are corrected for the spectral imperfections of the instrument, no correction is made for spatial non-uniformities in the instrument field of view response. Thus each ARG grid point is a weighted average of the observed scenes with the weighting determined by the instrument field of view response or Point Spread Function (PSF).

Vegetation and meteorological observations (snow and radiation) were collected by various ground instruments in an area of forest near Abisko (Sweden) and Sodankylä (Finland) during measurement campaigns in March 2011 and March 2012. This dataset contains the radiation data collected at Abisko site in March 2011. Above-canopy radiation: An open area was selected at each study site (“plot O”) for measurements assumed to be representative of incoming radiation above the nearby forest canopy. A Delta-T Devices BF3 sunshine sensor and a Kipp & Zonen CGR3 pyrgeometer were connected to a Campbell Scientific CR1000 data logger recording 5-minute averages of measurements made every 5 seconds. The BF3 measures total and diffuse incoming shortwave radiation, and the CGR3 measures thermal longwave radiation. Below-canopy radiation: In the forest plots, two arrays of ten Kipp & Zonen CM3 shortwave pyranometers and four Kipp & Zonen CGR3 longwave pyrgeometers were connected to AM16/32B multiplexers and Campbell Scientific CR1000 data loggers recording 5-minute averages of measurements made every 5 seconds. One array was set up in a “continuity plot” C for the entire duration of each field campaign, while the other array was moved between four “roving plots” R1 to R4, providing at least 5 complete days of data at each plot. All radiometers were placed on small plywood platforms on the snow surface and were levelled and cleared of snow every morning. Radiometer positions were recorded using differential GPS at Abisko and averages of repeated handheld GPS measurements at Sodankylä. This was a NERC funded project.

Vegetation and meteorological observations (snow and radiation) were collected by various ground instruments in an area of forest near Abisko (Sweden) and Sodankylä (Finland) during measurement campaigns in March 2011 and March 2012. This dataset contains the radiation data collected at Abisko site in March 2011. Above-canopy radiation: An open area was selected at each study site (“plot O”) for measurements assumed to be representative of incoming radiation above the nearby forest canopy. A Delta-T Devices BF3 sunshine sensor and a Kipp & Zonen CGR3 pyrgeometer were connected to a Campbell Scientific CR1000 data logger recording 5-minute averages of measurements made every 5 seconds. The BF3 measures total and diffuse incoming shortwave radiation, and the CGR3 measures thermal longwave radiation. Below-canopy radiation: In the forest plots, two arrays of ten Kipp & Zonen CM3 shortwave pyranometers and four Kipp & Zonen CGR3 longwave pyrgeometers were connected to AM16/32B multiplexers and Campbell Scientific CR1000 data loggers recording 5-minute averages of measurements made every 5 seconds. One array was set up in a “continuity plot” C for the entire duration of each field campaign, while the other array was moved between four “roving plots” R1 to R4, providing at least 5 complete days of data at each plot. All radiometers were placed on small plywood platforms on the snow surface and were levelled and cleared of snow every morning. Radiometer positions were recorded using differential GPS at Abisko and averages of repeated handheld GPS measurements at Sodankylä. This was a NERC funded project.

The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB-1) Level 2 High Resolution (L2HR) dataset contains accurate measurements of the Earth Radiation Budget. Broadband measurements of earth-leaving radiances are made from which the emitted thermal and reflected solar components of the Earth Radiation Budget are derived. These data are available at a time resolution of 15 minutes for the region 60E to 60W, 60N to 60S and area are ideal for studying fast variations in the radiation budget such as those associated with changing cloud conditions, aerosol events and the diurnal cycle. Time and pixel centres matched with METEOSAT imager SEVIRI. The level 2 HR (High Resolution) data are resolution enhanced snapshots of the top of atmosphere radiances and fluxes every 15 minutes. They are provided at the product acquisition time of the METEOSAT narrowband SEVIRI imager on a fixed equal viewing angle grid matched to 3x3 SEVIRI pixel grid-boxes. This gives the HR product a temporal resolution of 15 minutes and a grid spacing of 9 km at the sub-satellite point. The time in the product name is the same as the SEVIRI product name time. Instantaneous accuracy at the HR scale is expected to be lower than for the lower spatial resolution GERB products as additional noise is introduced by the resolution enhancement, particularly for very inhomogeneous scenes and extreme angles. However, the HR product is recommended as the basis for users wishing to create custom averages over time and space and its production ensures that after appropriate averaging its accuracy is commensurate with the other GERB products The GERB instrument was specifically designed to be mounted on a geostationary satellite and was carried onboard the Meteosat Second Generation satellite operated by European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). The second GERB instrument, GERB-1, was onboard Meteosat Second Generation satellite, MSG-2, and covers the period May 2007 to January 2013. Users must read the quality summary associated with these data and will find details of user applied correction that are recommended to be applied to these datasets before using. Please cite Harries et al., 2005: The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget Project, Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc., Vol. 86, 945-960, doi: 10.1175/BAMS-86-7-945.

The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB-2) Level 2 High Resolution (L2HR) dataset contains accurate measurements of the Earth Radiation Budget. Broadband measurements of earth-leaving radiances are made from which the emitted thermal and reflected solar components of the Earth Radiation Budget are derived. These data are available at a time resolution of 15 minutes for the region 60E to 60W, 60N to 60S and area are ideal for studying fast variations in the radiation budget such as those associated with changing cloud conditions, aerosol events and the diurnal cycle. Time and pixel centres matched with METEOSAT imager SEVIRI. The level 2 HR (High Resolution) data are resolution enhanced snapshots of the top of atmosphere radiances and fluxes every 15 minutes. They are provided at the product acquisition time of the METEOSAT narrowband SEVIRI imager on a fixed equal viewing angle grid matched to 3x3 SEVIRI pixel grid-boxes. This gives the HR product a temporal resolution of 15 minutes and a grid spacing of 9 km at the sub-satellite point. The time in the product name is the same as the SEVIRI product name time. Instantaneous accuracy at the HR scale is expected to be lower than for the lower spatial resolution GERB products as additional noise is introduced by the resolution enhancement, particularly for very inhomogeneous scenes and extreme angles. However, the HR product is recommended as the basis for users wishing to create custom averages over time and space and its production ensures that after appropriate averaging its accuracy is commensurate with the other GERB products The GERB instrument was specifically designed to be mounted on a geostationary satellite and was carried onboard the Meteosat Second Generation satellite operated by European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). The first GERB instrument, GERB-2, was onboard Meteosat Second Generation satellite, MSG-1, and covers the period March 2004 to May 2007. Users must read the quality summary associated with these data and will find details of user applied correction that are recommended to be applied to these datasets before using. Please cite Harries et al., 2005: The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget Project, Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc., Vol. 86, 945-960, doi: 10.1175/BAMS-86-7-945.

This dataset consists of combined data from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) instruments on the Earth Radiaition Budget Satellite (ERBS) and the 10th NOAA Sun-synchronous operational satellites (NOAA-9). ERBS was launched in October 1984 by the Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-41G) into an orbit at 603-km altitude, 57-deg. inclination. NOAA-10 operated at an altitude of 833-km, with an equatorial crossing local time of 0730, having been launched in November 1986. The ERBE instrument's main aim was to provide accurate measurements of incoming solar energy and shortwave and longwave radiation reflected or emitted from the Earth back into space. This dataset contains colour images (shortwave/longwave/net radiation, albedo, clear-sky albedo, clear-sky shortwave/longwave/net radiation, and shortwave/longwave/net cloud forcing) from scanning radiometers on the NOAA-10 ERBE satellites and for combined satellite cases. Monthly average values are included for the time periods during which the scanners were operational.

The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) instrument aboard the NASA Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) was launched from the Space Shuttle Challenger in October 1984 (STS-41G). The ERBE instrument's main aim was to provide accurate measurements of incoming solar energy and shortwave and longwave radiation reflected or emitted from the Earth back into space. This dataset collection contains colour images (shortwave/longwave/net radiation, albedo, clear-sky albedo, clear-sky shortwave/longwave/net radiation, and shortwave/longwave/net cloud forcing) from scanning radiometers on the three ERBE satellites and for combined satellite cases. Monthly average values are included for the time periods during which the scanners were operational.