Downwelling Surface LW Fluxes - MSG

Downwelling Surface Longwave Radiation Flux (DSLF) is the result of atmospheric absorption, emission and scattering within the entire atmospheric column and may be defined as the thermal irradiance reaching the surface in the thermal infrared spectrum (4-100mm). In clear sky situations DSLF depends on the vertical profiles of temperature and gaseous absorbers (primarily the water-vapour followed by CO2, and others of smaller importance like O3, CH4, N2O and CFCs). DSLF is directly related to the greenhouse effect and its monitoring has an important role in climate change studies. Other applications include meteorology (land applications) and oceanography (air-sea-ice interaction studies). Two products are operationally available, the first is available every 30 minutes and the second is a composite daily product (See distribution for details).