The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) was a joint-mission between NASA and the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales. The main objectives of the mission was to supply unique data set of vertical cloud and aerosol profiles.

This dataset collection contains cloud and aerosol profiles obtained using the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument, the primary instrument on-board the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite. The Lidar uses two bands (1064 nm and 532 nm) of linearly-polarised laser pulses. A three-channel receiver measures the backscatter intensity at 1064 nm and two orthogonal polarisation components at 532 nm, which are used to derive aerosol size and hydration, and cloud ice/water phase. In combination with auxiliary data sources, cloud profiles and radiative fluxes can be derived.

Cloud and aerosol profiles derived using CALIPSO data are available dating back to June 2006, obtained from the NASA Langley Research Center Atmospheric Science Data Center. Versions 3.x (3.01, 3.02 and 3.30) of the data are held by the NEODC. Version 3-01 (13th June 2006 - 31st October 2011) is a full reprocessing of the mission data. Version 3-02 (1st November 2011 - 28th February 2013) marks the transition to a new cluster computing system without any changes in the algorithm. Version 3-30 (1st March 2013 - present) was released in April 2013. Two ancillary input files were updated. GEOS-5 was updated from version 5.2 to version 5.9.1, and the new version also incorporates enhanced Air Force Weather Authority (AFWA) Snow and Ice Datasets.

For Level 1B products, version 3-01 is an improvement over version 3-00, which is no longer available. The version 3 product includes improved algorithms implemented for 532-nm daytime calibration, laser energy interpretations, and interpolation of GMAO gridded data products to the CALIPSO orbit tracks; and updated and new data parameters. The version 3-01 product includes corrections to the 532 nm and 1064 nm extinction, backscatter, and ozone cross-sections. For Level 2 products, version 3-01 is the first version 3 release. Changes include improved cloud clearing code; an enhanced cloud-aerosol discrimination algorithm; improved daytime calibration procedures; and a new algorithm for assessing cloud thermodynamic phase. There were also other improvements specific to the type of product.