Data
EarthCARE products include "JAXA products" developed by JAXA and "ESA products" developed by ESA, and there are two types of JAXA products: standard products and research products. Both JAXA and ESA products are official EarthCARE products. Since the algorithms used to create the products have their own strengths and weaknesses, users can choose the product that best suits their needs.
Both ESA and JAXA products are available from both ESA and JAXA websites. For example, the ESA L1b ATLID product is available from JAXA's G-Portal website, and the JAXA L2a CPR Echo product is also available from the ESA website.
| Product Type | Summary |
|---|---|
| ESA Products | Products produced by algorithms developed by European researchers |
| JAXA Products | Products produced by algorithms developed by Japanese researchers |
| Standard Products |
Algorithms are relatively mature, and many have been adapted from previous research and development results.
Development and provision of products is strongly encouraged.
Provided on the G-Portal website, along with standard products of other JAXA Earth observation missions.
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| Research Products |
Products with many developmental elements in the algorithms, which are challenging but scientifically valuable.
Development and provision of products is encouraged.
Provided by JAXA Earth Observation Research Center or by Japanese universities, research institutes, and other research organizations.
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EarthCARE products are divided into "Level 1b," "Level 2a," and "Level 2b" base on its processing level, and the processing level definitions are common to ESA and JAXA.
Level 2a and higher products are sometimes referred to as "higher-order products" and the processes used to create them as "higher-order processing".
Level 1b is engineering values converted from the digital signals obtained from sensors, and Levels 2a and 2b are geophysical values converted by higher-order processing algorithms based on the engineering values of each sensor. Level 2a product is produced using only one sensor data (sensor stand-alone product) and Level 2b product is produced using more than two sensors’ data (synergy product).
Thus, Level 1b and 2a products are offered per sensor, and Level 2b products are offered per combination of multiple sensors.
| Processing Level | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1b (L1b) | Products containing engineering values of single sensor | CPR L1b: Received power, ground radar cross section, Doppler velocity, etc. |
| Level 2a (L2a) | Products containing geophysical values estimated using only one sensor data. | CPR L2a: cloud water content, cloud ice content, cloud effective radius, optical thickness, etc. ATLID L2a: extinction coefficient, backscatter coefficient, depolarization ratio, atmospheric boundary layer altitude, etc. |
| Level 2b (L2b) | Products containing geophysical values estimated using data of multiple sensors. | CPR-ATLID L2b: cloud water content, cloud ice content, cloud effective radius, optical thickness, etc. 4-sensor L2b: shortwave and longwave radiation flux, heating rate, etc. |