MERRA-2 hourly/6-hourly v5.12.4

MERRA daily fluxes, radiation and analyzed state / meteorology on pressure levels

The Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) is a NASA atmospheric data reanalysis for the satellite era using a major new version of the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System Version 5 (GEOS-5). MERRA focuses on historical analyses of the hydrological cycle on a broad range of weather and climate time scales, and places the NASA EOS suite of observations in a climate context.

MERRA-2 was initiated as an intermediate project between the aging MERRA data and the next generation of Earth system analysis envisioned for the future coupled reanalysis. Without a substantial investment to update MERRA's data assimilation routines, the system lacked the capability to analyze the latest observations. In addition, numerous advances to the GEOS5 system had been implemented since freezing the MERRA system in 2008. Therefore, a new full reanalysis integration was undertaken. MERRA-2 covers the period 1980-present, continuing as an ongoing climate analysis as resources allow.

Data provide here are from:
- M2I6NPANA/inst6_3d_ana_Np, 6-Hourly, Instantaneous, 42 Model-Level, Analysis, Analyzed Meteorological Fields; DOI: 10.5067/A7S6XP56VZWS
- M2T1NXFLX/tavg1_2d_flx_Nx, 1-Hourly,Time-Averaged, Single-Level, Assimilation, Surface Flux Diagnostics; DOI: 10.5067/7MCPBJ41Y0K6
- M2T1NXRAD/tavg1_2d_rad_Nx. 1-Hourly,Time-Averaged, Single-Level, Assimilation, Radiation Diagnostics; DOI: 10.5067/Q9QMY5PBNV1T

GES DISC Data Use Acknowledgment

Distribution of GES DISC data sets is funded by NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). The data are not copyrighted and are open to all for both commercial and non-commercial uses. If you used GES DISC data for a publication (research or otherwise), or for any other purpose, we request that you include the following acknowledgment:

"The data used in this effort were acquired as part of the activities of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, and are archived and distributed by the Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC)."

We would appreciate receiving a copy of your publication, which can be be forwarded to the following address:

Goddard Earth Sciences DISC Help Desk
Code 610.2
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD 20771

Variables
2d_flux:
Surface bouyancy scale [m s-2],
Surface exchange coefficient for heat [kg m-2 s-1],
Surface exchange coefficient for momentum [kg m-2 s-1],
Surface exchange coefficient for moisture [kg m-2 s-1],
Surface neutral drag coefficient [1],
Zero plane displacement height [m],
Total latent energy flux [W m-2},
Evaporation from turbulence [kg m-2 s-1] ,
Areal fraction of anvil showers [1],
Areal fraction of convective showers [1],
Areal fraction of nonanvil large scale showers [1],
Ice covered fraction of tile [1],
Ground heating for skin temp [W m-2],
Sensible heat flux from turbulence [W m-2],
Surface layer height [m],
Surface downwelling nearinfrared diffuse flux [W m-2],
Surface downwelling nearinfrared beam flux [W m-2],
Planetary boundary layer height [m],
Total column production of precipitation [kg m-2 s-1],
Anvil precipitation [kg m-2 s-1],
Convective precipitation [kg m-2 s-1],
Nonanvil large scale precipitation [kg m-2 s-1],
Snowfall kg m-2 s-1],
Total precipitation from atm model physics [kg m-2 s-1],
Bias corrected total precipitation [kg m-2 s-1],
Total column re-evap/subl of precipitation [kg m-2 s-1],
Surface specific humidity [1],
Effective surface specific humidity [kg kg-1],
Surface moisture scale [kg kg-1],
Air density at surface [kg m-3],
Surface bulk richardson number [1],
Surface wind speed [m s-1],
Maximum surface wind speed [m s-1],
Surface eastward gravity wave stress [N m-2],
Surface northward gravity wave stress [N m-2],
Eastward surface stress [N m-2],
Northward surface stress [N m-2],
Transcom planetary boundary layer height [m],
Surface air temperature [K],
Effective surface skin temperature [K],
Surface temperature scale [K],
Surface eastward wind [m s-1],
Surface velocity scale [m s-1],
Surface northward wind [m s-1],
Surface roughness for heat [m],
Surface roughness [m]
2d_rad:
Surface albedo [1],
Surface albedo for near infrared diffuse [1],
Surface albedo for near infrared beam [1],
Surface albedo for visible diffuse [1],
Surface albedo for visible beam [1],
Cloud area fraction for high clouds [1],
Cloud area fraction for low clouds [1],
Cloud area fraction for middle clouds [1],
Total cloud area fraction [1],
Surface emissivity [1],
Surface absorbed longwave radiation [W m-2],
Surface absorbed longwave radiation assuming clear sky [W m-2],
Surface absorbed longwave radiation assuming clear sky and no aerosol [W m-2],
Longwave flux emitted from surface [W m-2],
Surface net downward longwave flux [W m-2],
Surface net downward longwave flux assuming clear sky [W m-2],
Surface net downward longwave flux assuming clear sky and no aerosol [W m-2],
Upwelling longwave flux at TOA [W m-2],
Upwelling longwave flux at TOA assuming clear sky [W m-2],
Upwelling longwave flux at TOA assuming clear sky and no aerosol [W m-2],
Surface incoming shortwave flux [W m-2],
Surface incoming shortwave flux assuming clear sky [W m-2],
Surface net downward shortwave flux [W m-2],
Surface net downward shortwave flux assuming no aerosol [W m-2],
Surface net downward shortwave flux assuming clear sky [W m-2],
Surface net downward shortwave flux assuming clear sky and no aerosol [W m-2],
TOA incoming shortwave flux [W m-2],
TOA net downward shortwave flux [W m-2],
TOA net downward shortwave flux assuming no aerosol [W m-2],
TOA net downward shortwave flux assuming clear sky [W m-2],
TOA net downward shortwave flux assuming clear sky and no aerosol [W m-2],
In cloud optical thickness of high clouds(EXPORT) [1],
In cloud optical thickness of low clouds [1],
In cloud optical thickness of low clouds [1],
In cloud optical thickness of all clouds [1],
Surface skin temperature [K],
3d:
Sea-level pressure [Pa],
Surface pressure [Pa],
Geopotential height [m],
Air temperature [K],
Eastward wind component [m/s],
Northward wind component [m/s],
Specific humidity [kg/kg],
Ozone mixing ratio [kg/kg]
Zonal Global by 5/8 deg
Meridional Global by 1/2 deg
Vertical 1000, 975, 950, 925, 900, 875, 850, 825, 800, 775, 750, 725, 700, 650, 600, 550, 500, 450, 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, 150, 100, 70, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.7, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.1  
Temporal 2d: Jan 1, 1979 to Nov 30, 2024 by 1 hour (June - Sept 2021 were reprocessed and replaced in Dec 2021)
3d: Jan 1, 1979 to Oct 31, 2024 by 6 hours
Static? no
Volume 2d_flux: 137GB/year; 2d_rad: 76GB/year; 3d: 182GB/year
Server public:
Source https://gmao.gsfc.nasa.gov/reanalysis/MERRA-2/
Acquired March 9, 2017 (Updated Jan 2025)
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