GEO/LEO based cloud property composites for DSCOVR EPIC view, Version 2

In DSCOVR_EPIC_L2_composite_02, cloud property retrievals from multiple imagers on low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites (including MODIS, VIIRS, and AVHRR) and geostationary (GEO) satellites (including GOES-13 and -15, METEOSAT-7 and -10, MTSAT-2, and Himawari-8) are used to generate the composite. Based on the CERES cloud detection and retrieval system, all cloud properties were determined using a standard set of algorithms, the Satellite ClOud and Radiation Property Retrieval System (SatCORPS). Cloud properties from these LEO/GEO imagers are optimally merged to provide a seamless global composite product at 5-km resolution by using an aggregated rating that considers five parameters (nominal satellite resolution, pixel time relative to the EPIC observation time, viewing zenith angle, distance from day/night terminator, and sun glint factor) and selects the best observation at the time nearest to the EPIC measurements. About 72% of the LEO/GEO satellite overpass times are within one hour of the EPIC measurements, while 92% are within two hours of the EPIC measurements. The global composite data are then remapped into the EPIC FOV by convolving the high-resolution cloud properties with the EPIC point spread function (PSF) defined with a half-pixel accuracy to produce the EPIC composite. PSF-weighted radiances and cloud properties averages are computed separately for each cloud phase. Ancillary data (i.e., surface type, snow and ice map, skin temperature, precipitable water, etc.) needed for anisotropic factor selections are also included in the composite. These composite images are produced for each observation time of the EPIC instrument (typically 300 to 600 composites per month).

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Maintainer Earthdata Forum
Last Updated August 24, 2026, 22:52 (UTC)
Created April 1, 2025, 15:50 (UTC)
accessLevel public
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harvest_source_id b99e41c6-fe79-4c19-bbc3-9b6c8111bfac
harvest_source_title Science Discovery Engine
identifier 10.5067/EPIC/DSCOVR/L2_COMPOSITE_02
license https://www.usa.gov/government-works
modified 2026-08-17T22:16:01Z
programCode {026:000}
publisher NASA/LARC/SD/ASDC
resource-type Dataset
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source_hash 66f593cce5f870b4003080226767b8f530b5c1cf03ba779ffb6da81cd4d61c94
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temporal 2015-06-13/2025-07-31
theme {"Earth Science"}