Oceansat-2 Scatterometer Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 2

This dataset consists of the version 2 Level 2B science-quality ocean surface wind vector retrievals from the Oceansat-2 scatterometer (OSCAT), which was designed and launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) 23 September 2009. This Level 2B dataset is produced by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) QuikSCAT Project in cooperation with ISRO. The retrievals are provided on a non-uniform grid within the swath at 12.5 km pixel resolution. This resolution is achieved through a slice composite technique in which high resolution slice measurements from L1B data are composited into a 12.5 km wind vector cell. This newest version contains an improved geophysical model function (GMF), known as QSCAT12, consistent with the Remote Sensing Systems Ku2011 GMF, and an improved rain detection and flagging algorithm; these algorithms are consistent with the latest reprocessed version 3 QuikSCAT L2B dataset. Each L2B file corresponds to a specific orbital revolution (rev) number, which begins at the southernmost point of the ascending orbit. As a Ku-band dual pencil-beam rotating scatterometer, OSCAT design specs bear a strong resemblence of the Ku-band SeaWinds scatterometers on QuikSCAT and Midori-II (ADEOS-II). The primary difference between OSCAT and SeaWinds is the ~4 degree increase in the OSCAT incidence angle, which acts as an offset to the relatively lower altitude of Oceansat-2 to help provide a nearly identical swath width to SeaWinds. In the early phase of cal/val, the JPL QuikSCAT Project identified several problems, most of which have been corrected in this latest L2B version. This dataset release is expected to have an accuracy similar to that of the version 3 L2B QuikSCAT product, with minor caveats, all of which are described by Jaruwatanadilok et al. (2014) and summarized in the User Guide document which is made available in PO.DAAC Drive at https://podaac-tools.jpl.nasa.gov/drive/files/allData/oceansat2/L2B/oscat/jpl/docs/ . Read software is made available in MATLAB, Python, R, and IDL and is accessible in PO.DAAC Drive at https://podaac-tools.jpl.nasa.gov/drive/files/allData/oceansat2/L2B/oscat/jpl/sw/ .