Earthdata Forum

In accessing the CERES SYN 1Deg Daily via direct data download, we noticed that there are two files for each day. In looking at the files for the first day (file names below), we see in the metadata that the value for PRODUCTIONDATETIME for one is 2017-08-03 and for the other file it is 2018-11-21. We're unable to discern any other difference between the two files. Is it intended that there be two files for each day? If so, why? Thanks!

/CERES/SYN1deg-Day/Terra-Aqua-MODIS_Edition4A/2002/07/CER_SYN1deg-Day_Terra-Aqua-MODIS_Edition4A_401405.20020701.hdf
/CERES/SYN1deg-Day/Terra-Aqua-MODIS_Edition4A/2002/07/CER_SYN1deg-Day_Terra-Aqua-MODIS_Edition4A_404406.20020701.hdf

Thank you for your question. A Subject Matter Expert has been notified and will answer your question shortly. Please stand by!

We are sorry for the confusion. The ASDC is migrating to new distribution tools that expose more of the data then was previously.

What you are seeing are two processing of the same date. The six digit number before the date is what we refer to as the Configuration Code (CC). The file with the 401405 was the earlier version (2017-08-03) and the 404406 is the latter version (2018-11-21). Our scientist made some improvements to the algorithms that were implemented in the code and then the data was rerun.

You only need one file for each day.

As a rule of thumb, the version with the highest CC code has the higher quality data and should be used.