Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) experiments measure naturally-occurring microwave thermal emission from the limb (edge) of Earth's atmosphere to remotely sense vertical profiles of atmospheric gases, temperature, pressure, and cloud ice. The overall objective of these experiments is to provide information that will help improve our understanding of Earth's atmosphere and global change.

Aura MLS Data

Aura MLS v4 Production Ending in April 2024

The science team for the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on NASA's Aura satellite is finalizing new “Version 6” (V6) data processing algorithms and software. We anticipate releasing V6 MLS data in summer 2024, once its quality has been assessed and documented. Reprocessing of the entire (19-year-to-date) MLS record with the V6 software will take approximately two years, completing in mid-2026. During that time, we will continue to process incoming MLS data with the current V5 algorithms and software, thus ensuring uninterrupted availability of a uniform MLS dataset encompassing the full mission lifetime. However, to maximize the computing resources available for V6 reprocessing, we will cease processing the incoming data with the older V4 algorithms and software. The last V4 data generated will be for April 30, 2024.

Recent Publications

  1. Allen, D.R., M.D. Fromm, G.P. Kablick, G.E. Nedoluha, and D.A. Peterson, "Smoke with Induced Rotation and Lofting SWIRL Generated by the February 2009 Australian Black Saturday PyroCb Plume," Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 129, 5, doi:10.1029/2023jd040289, 2024.
  2. Veenus, V., and S. Das, "Role of Southern Hemisphere sudden stratospheric warming in altering the intensity of Brewer-Dobson circulation and its impact on stratospheric ozone and water vapor," Adv. Space Res. 73, 5, 2598-2608, doi:10.1016/j.asr.2023.12.012, 2024.
  3. Lopez-Puertas, M., M. Garcia-Comas, B. Funke, T. von Clarmann, N. Glatthor, U. Grabowski, S. Kellmann, M. Kiefer, A. Laeng, A. Linden, and G. Stiller, "MIPAS ozone retrieval version 8: middle-atmosphere measurements," Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 16, 22, 5609-5645, doi:10.5194/amt-16-5609-2023, 2023.
  4. Tinney, E., and C. Homeyer, "Climatology, sources, and transport characteristics of observed water vapor extrema in the lower stratosphere," Atmos. Chem. Phys. 23, 22, 14375-14392, doi:10.5194/acp-23-14375-2023, 2023.
  5. Tao, M., P. Konopka, J. Wright, Y. Liu, J. Bian, S. Davis, Y. Jia, and F. Ploeger, "Multi-decadal variability controls short-term stratospheric water vapor trends," Commun Earth Environ 4, 1, doi:10.1038/s43247-023-01094-9, 2023.