Lambertian Equivalent Reflectivity Data Record (Release 2) - Metop-A

The GOME-2 surface LER is the Lambertian-equivalent reflectivity (LER), or albedo, of the Earth's surface observed by GOME-2. The GOME-2 surface LER data record contains two surface LER versions: one version based on GOME-2 observations by the Main Science Channels (MSCs) and one version based on GOME-2 observations by the Polarisation Measurement Devices (PMDs). The PMD-based version has the advantage over the MSC-based version that the surface LER is based on eight times as many observations, each with an eight times smaller footprint. This makes the retrieved surface LER less susceptible to residual cloud contamination, statistically more stable, and therefore more reliable. It also allows a higher spatial resolution of the surface LER grid.