Earthdata Forum

Hello everyone!
I downloaded data from CALIOP (Lidar Level 2 Vertical Feature Mask), (VFM), on CALIPSO and I have a doubt in the Layout of the Feature Classification Flag data block, I need to select data for a particular latitude and longitude, the data is close to the longitude point I need but I have it in degrees not in meters, so I don't know which of the 15 profiles I should select. I understand that each sample per profile in the horizontal dimension, each profile corresponds to 333 m and the total to 5 km but how can I know which one corresponds to those 333m in degrees of longitude? Does anyone know how to change those meters to degrees of longitude? Thank you!

Greetings Fernanda,

This response was also provided by the CALIPSO SME:

Response to previous question should answer what you are asking. (Longitude in Feature Classification Flag data block)

With that said, there is also another parameter in the VFM that provides the precise latitude and longitude for each of the 333m profiles that make up the VFM; ssLatitude and ssLongitude, in which ‘ss’ stands for single-shot. Further information can be found in https://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov/resources/calipso_users_guide/data_summaries/vfm/index_v420.php#latitude.

Regards,