Clouds with sun rays. Credit: Photo Gallery

Release of OCA Climate Data Record

The first release of MSG Optimal Cloud Analysis Climate Data Record is now available to users.

Last Updated

15 June 2022

Published on

15 June 2022

The OCA Release 1 Climate Data Record (CDR) covers the MSG observation period from 2004 up to 2019, providing a homogenous cloud properties time series.

It is generated at full Meteosat repeat cycle (15 minutes) frequency. Cloud properties retrieved by OCA are cloud top pressure, cloud optical thickness, and cloud effective radius, together with uncertainties.

Reprocessed OCA CDR example — Figure 1: Example of the OCA CDR

The OCA algorithm has been slightly adapted for climate data record processing. The adaptation mainly consists in using different inputs, because those used for Near Real Time (NRT) were not available for the reprocessing (cloud mask, clear sky reflectance map) and also not homogenous (reanalysis) over the complete time period. It extends the NRT data record more than nine years back in time. This is a Thematic Climate Data Record (TCDR).

To access these data and for more information, contact our User Service Helpdesk.