The latest version of the Wegener Center (WEGC) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) record, OPSv5.6, provides globally distributed upper-air satellite data of high quality from multiple RO satellite missions, usable for climate and other high-accuracy applications.

GNSS RO, where we provide data obtained with the Global Positioning System (GPS) so far, is an active limb sounding satellite technique observing thermodynamic atmospheric variables since 2001. Its properties include high vertical resolution and accuracy, global coverage, long-term stability, and particularly high quality within the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere.

For the time range 2001 to 2017 the following variables are provided in form of individual retrieved profiles and post-processed climatological fields:

• bending angle
• refractivity
• dry density
• dry pressure
• dry temperature
• density
• pressure
• temperature
• specific humidity
• geopotential height

Quality control flags help to identify atmospheric profiles with highest data quality (‘flag 0 data’).