Monthly Cloud Optical Thickness (Terra/MODIS)
For More Information
See neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/Search.html?datasetId=MODAL2_M_CLD_OT
Credits
Based on imagery by Reto Stockli, NASA's Earth Observatory, using data provided by the MODIS Atmosphere Science Team, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Visualizers
- Marit Jentoft-Nilsen (None)
- Reto Stockli (NASA/GSFC)
Missions
This visualization is related to the following missions:Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Datasets used in this visualization
Terra (Collected with the MODIS sensor)
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.
Related pages
Monthly Cloud Optical Thickness (Aqua/MODIS)
Oct. 24th, 2013
Read moreTo better understand the role of clouds in the Earth's climate system, scientists need two important measurements: cloud optical thickness and cloud particle size. A cloud's optical thickness is a measure of attenuation of the light passing through the atmosphere due to the scattering and absorption by cloud droplets. Clouds do not absorb visible wavelengths of sunlight; rather, clouds scatter and reflect most visible light. The higher a cloud's optical thickness, the more sunlight the cloud is scattering and reflecting. These maps show monthly cloud optical thickness from July 2002 to the present, produced using data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument onboard NASA’s Aqua satellite. Dark blue shades indicate areas where there are low cloud-optical-thickness values, while white shades indicate high values (i.e., greater attenuation caused by the scattering and absorption from cloud droplets). Monthly Aqua/MODIS cloud optical thickness, July 2002 to the present. For More InformationSee [neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/Search.html?datasetId=MYDAL2_M_CLD_OT](neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/Search.html?datasetId=MYDAL2_M_CLD_OT) Related pages
Cloud Optical Thickness
Nov. 24th, 2019
Read moreTo better understand the role of clouds in the Earth's climate system, scientists need two important measurements: cloud optical thickness and cloud particle size. A cloud's optical thickness is a measure of attenuation of the light passing through the atmosphere due to the scattering and absorption by cloud droplets. Clouds do not absorb visible wavelengths of sunlight; rather, clouds scatter and reflect most visible light. The higher a cloud's optical thickness, the more sunlight the cloud is scattering and reflecting. These maps show monthly cloud optical thickness from February 2000 to the present, produced using data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument onboard NASA’s Terra satellite. Dark blue shades indicate areas where there are low cloud-optical-thickness values, while white shades indicate high values (i.e., greater attenuation caused by the scattering and absorption from cloud droplets). Cloud Optical Thickness For More InformationSee [https://ladsweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/missions-and-measurements/products/MOD08_M3/](https://ladsweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/missions-and-measurements/products/MOD08_M3/) Related pages