First PREFIRE Datasets Launched | NASA Earthdata

The new Level 1 by means of Level 3 merchandise, which had been launched earlier this month, advance the mission’s objectives by offering space-based measurements of radiative fluxes, cloud masks, spectrally variant floor emissivity, and column water vapor, with the requisite protection throughout diurnal and seasonal cycles and the decision essential to seize floor and cloud variability. 

“Far-infrared radiation (wavelengths between 15 to 100 micrometers) plays a crucial role in Earth’s energy budget. It affects the outgoing longwave radiation and is vital for understanding the heat exchange between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere, especially in polar regions,” stated ASDC scientist Dr. Hazem Mahmoud. “Despite its importance, this portion of the spectrum has not been comprehensively or systematically measured pole to pole. Understanding the seasonal variations in FIR is essential for improving Earth system models, which are key to enhancing projections of future environmental scenarios.”

This is what makes this primary launch of PREFIRE knowledge so important, says Mahmoud. Researchers across the globe now have the chance to entry these vital infrared spectral measurements from house, thereby permitting them to check polar processes and variations with higher precision.

“The significance of this new release is substantial. For the first time, a wide-ranging dataset of Level 1, 2, and 3 data products from PREFIRE is available. This consolidates the raw measurements (Level 1), derived geophysical variables (Level 2), and monthly global aggregations (Level 3) into a single, accessible resource,” he stated. “This release is not only a technical achievement for the mission, but it also enables collaboration across the scientific community. Since the launch of the mission, users from more than 17 countries around the world have downloaded PREFIRE data, underscoring its international scientific value.”

See under for particulars concerning the PREFIRE datasets launched by the ASDC.

Level 1A Datasets

Note: Geographic protection for each of those Level 1A datasets is world, with the best focus of knowledge within the polar areas. Given that these datasets aren’t geolocated, PREFIRE_SAT1_1A-RAD and PREFIRE_SAT2_1A-RAD would require geolocation for direct scientific research.

Level 1B Datasets

Note: Geographic protection for each of those Level 1B datasets is world, with the best focus of knowledge within the polar areas. 

Level 2B Datasets 

Level 3 Datasets

Auxiliary Datasets

All Level 1, 2, and three and Auxiliary PREFIRE knowledge merchandise are produced by the PREFIRE Science Data Processing System (SDPS), positioned on the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and archived by ASDC at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Each of the recordsdata from these knowledge merchandise is created in netCDF4 format with normal metadata. Level 1A and 1B Radiance (1A-RAD, 1B-RAD) knowledge merchandise are nominally processed on a delay of at the least 4 days from ingest of the Level 0 science knowledge, permitting for knowledge despatched from the spacecraft out of chronological order to be included. The AUX-MET knowledge merchandise require the observational floor footprint data from the 1B-RAD granules and are subsequently nominally processed simply after the 1B-RAD knowledge product granules are produced.

About the PREFIRE Mission

The Arctic performs a vital function in regulating Earth’s power stability by venting extra power obtained within the tropics. Nearly 60 % of Arctic emission happens at FIR wavelengths longer than 15 microns (μm), but they’ve by no means been systematically or spectrally measured. PREFIRE goals to appropriate this by quantifying the spatial and temporal variability in spectral FIR emissions, thereby informing assessments of their affect on the atmospheric power retention impact.

The PREFIRE mission is comprised of two space-based TIRS devices aboard two small 6U cube-shaped satellites (often called CubeSats) circumnavigating Earth in near-polar orbit. As they journey across the globe, the CubeSats pattern Arctic and Antarctic surfaces and clouds, capturing a number of observations of these areas every day. Initially deliberate for 10 months of operation, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which manages the mission, introduced that PREFIRE has been extended by means of September 2026. This extension will permit for continued knowledge assortment and enhanced understanding of polar floor and cloud dynamics over time.

PREFIRE CubeSats symbolize an advance in spaceborne expertise. These compact satellites are outfitted with cutting-edge sensors able to detecting FIR—a vital indicator of polar power emission effectivity—with a spectral ranger overlaying wavelengths from 5 to 54 μm, capturing a variety of thermal emissions.

Further, in live performance with different Earth-observing satellites operated by NASA and its worldwide companions, knowledge from the PREFIRE CubeSats will be mixed with these from different satellites, such because the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), to additional improve the understanding of polar local weather processes which have world implications.

“With these data, scientists can better pinpoint how and where energy is lost in the polar regions—information that’s vital for understanding sea ice dynamics, permafrost changes, and the broader implications of a warming planet,” stated Mahmoud. “Ultimately, the refined climate models that stem from PREFIRE data will help inform future projections and guide policy decisions related to polar and global Earth systems.”

Data Access and Visualization

Data from the PREFIRE mission can be found from the ASDC website in addition to by means of NASA’s Earthdata Search. To view video tutorials demonstrating how customers can search, entry, and obtain archived PREFIRE knowledge, see the “ASDC Data Access” tab on this ASDC-produced PREFIRE StoryMap. NASA Worldview lets you visualize and obtain all kinds of Earth science knowledge, together with PREFIRE knowledge. The Worldview interface permits customers to pick out their desired knowledge layers and timeframe, after which obtain the info for analysis and evaluation.

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