An update of the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor (S5p) operational ground-processing system is planned by mid-July 2023. This includes the addition of new variables related to a new parameter ‘SO2 Layer Height’ into the SO2 product. The variables are accessible from a new subgroup called “SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT” added to the main group “PRODUCT”. The variables are listed below, and their meaning can be found in the product itself.

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/qa_value_layer_height

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_averaging_kernel_scaling_box_layer_height

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_clear_air_mass_factor_layer_height

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_cloudy_air_mass_factor_layer_height

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_layer_height

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_layer_height_flag

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_layer_height_precision

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_layer_pressure

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_total_air_mass_factor_layer_height

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_total_air_mass_factor_layer_height_kernel_trueness

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_total_air_mass_factor_layer_height_precision

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_total_air_mass_factor_layer_height_trueness

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_total_vertical_column_layer_height

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_total_vertical_column_layer_height_precision

/PRODUCT/SO2_LAYER_HEIGHT/sulfurdioxide_total_vertical_column_layer_height_trueness

A sample SO2 product with the new format is available for users download.

Full detailed information will be provided within the SO2 documentation after the operational switch.

Please note that NRT products for data acquired during the downtime period will be not generated. After the successful deployment of the new system, version numbers of the first orbit generated with the new version of the operational processor both, in NRT and OFFL, will be provided.