The OMPS Aerosol Index (PyroCumuloNimbus) layer indicates the presence of ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing particles in the air (aerosols) such as desert dust and soot particles in the atmosphere; it is related to both the thickness of the aerosol layer located in the atmosphere and to the height of the layer. The Aerosol Index (PyroClumuloNimbus) layer is a unitless range from < 0.00 to >=50.00 and differs from the Aerosol Index layer because in the case of pyrocumulonimbus events, which are both dense and high in the atmosphere, the AI value can easily become much larger than 5.0. The Aerosol Index (PyroCumuloNimbus) layer is useful for identifying and tracking high Aerosol Index value events and makes it easier to track the spread of high aerosol concentrations in the atmosphere.

Aerosols absorb and scatter incoming sunlight, which reduces visibility and increases the optical depth. Aerosols have an effect on human health, weather and the climate. Sources of aerosols include pollution from factories, smoke from fires, dust from dust storms, sea salts, and volcanic ash and smog. Aerosols compromise human health when inhaled by people with asthma or other respiratory illnesses. Aerosols also have an affect on the weather and climate by cooling or warming the earth, helping or preventing clouds from forming.

The OMPS Aerosol Index (PyroCumuloNimbus) layer is a science parameter of the Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite (OMPS)/ National Polar orbiting Partnership (NPP) Total Column Ozone Product 1-Orbit L2 Swath 50x50km available from the OMPS Nadir Mapper instrument on the Suomi-National Polar orbiting Partnership (Suomi-NPP) satellite. The sensor resolution is 50 km, imagery resolution is 2 km, and the temporal resolution is daily.

References: GES DISC - OMPSNPPNMTO3_L2: OMPS-NPP L2 NM Ozone (O3) Total Column swath orbital V2