NSCAT Level 2 Ocean Wind Vector Geophysical Data Record

The NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) Level 2 ocean wind vectors in 50 km wind vector cell (WVC) swaths contain daily data from ascending and descending passes. Wind vectors are accurate to within 2 m/s (vector speed) and 20 degrees (vector direction). Wind vectors are not considered valid in rain contaminated regions; rain flags and precipitation information are not provided. Data is flagged where measurements are either missing, ambiguous, or contaminated by land/sea ice. Winds are calculated using the NSCAT-2 model function. This is the most up-to-date version, which designates the final phase of calibration, validation and science data processing, which was completed in November of 1998, on behalf of the JPL NSCAT Project; wind vectors are processed using the NSCAT-2 geophysical model function.