This dataset contains global retrieval of sulphur dioxide (SO2) column amounts and altitudes derived from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) instrument on the METOP-A satellite. The data have been produced by the University of Oxford as part of the NERC Centre for the Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tectonics (COMET).

This dataset has been produced using the Carboni et al. (2012,2016) retrieval algorithm for the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer which retrieve column amount and altitude (together with a comprehensive error budget for every pixel) using simultaneously all the IASI channels between 1000–1200 and 1300–1410 cm−1. It has a global coverage and includes the six-month-long Holuhraun eruption, from September 2014 to February 2015, together with other events during the same periods such as: volcanic activity on the Kamchatka peninsula, Etna and Capo verde eruptions, anthropogenic SO2 emissions from China.

The data presents the results of the retrieval for every IASI 'plume' pixels (e.g. that result positive to the IASI SO2 detection) including: column amount (in Dobson Unit - DU), altitude (in millibar and successively converted in km using meteorological profile), surface temperature. It also includes quality control parameters and quality flags: for generic use we recommend using data with flag = 1. Quality control parameters available are: degree of freedom, cost function, convergence. These quality control paramenters are also summarized in two 'stricted' and 'relaxed' quality control flags.

This dataset also includes location of all IASI pixels in the same orbit (non plume pixel) to allow regridding and comparison with other instruments and models.