RapidScat Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 1.1

Description

This dataset contains the RapidScat Level 2B 12.5km Version 1.1 science-quality ocean surface wind vectors. The Level 2B wind vectors are binned on a 12.5 km Wind Vector Cell (WVC) grid and processed using the Level 2A Sigma-0 dataset. RapidScat is a Ku-band dual beam circular rotating scatterometer retaining much of the same hardware and functionality of QuikSCAT, with exception of the antenna sub-system and digital interface to the International Space Station (ISS) Columbus module, which is where RapidScat is mounted. The NASA mission is officially referred to as ISS-RapidScat. Unlike QuikSCAT, ISS-RapidScat is not in sun-synchronous orbit, and flies at roughly half the altitude with a low inclination angle that restricts data coverage to the tropics and mid-latitude regions; the extent of latitudinal coverage stretches from approximately 61 degrees North to 61 degrees South. Furthermore, there is no consistent local time of day retrieval. This dataset is provided in a netCDF-3 file format that follows the netCDF-4 classic model (i.e., generated by the netCDF-4 API) and made available via FTP and OPeNDAP. For data access, please click on the "Data Access" tab above. This Version 1.1 dataset differs from the previous Version 1 dataset as follows: 1) A new neural network approach for high wind speeds provided rain corrections for the "retrieve_wind_speed" variable for wind speeds in excess of 15 m/s. 2) The data variables containing the number of measurements of each type for each wind vector cell have been corrected; these variables include "number_in_aft", "number_in_fore", "number_out_aft", and "number_out_fore". 3) The "wind_obj" data variable has been corrected to include the proper data for the conditional probability for the objective DIRTH function values. It is advised for users to avoid using the "wind_obj" variable in this dataset since it is minimally applicable and meant primarily for quality assurance; for users who wish to access the objective function values for each ambiguity, it is suggested to use only the "ambiguity_obj" variable. The "wind_obj" variable contains DIRTH probabilities (which are derived form the "ambiguity_obj" objective function values) in the range of 0 to 1 indicating the conditional probability that the true direction is within + or - 2.5 degrees of the retrieved wind direction given the observed backscatter measurements in the cell. If you have any questions, please contact podaac@podaac.jpl.nasa.gov

Resources

Name Format Description Link
21 Website providing more detailed information about the ISS-RapidScat Mission. https://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/RapidScat/
22 Thumbnail https://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/Podaac/thumbnails/RSCAT_LEVEL_2B_OWV_COMP_12_V1.1.jpg
33 Summary of Facts on the ISS-RapidScat Mission http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/fact_sheets/issrapidscat_factsheet.pdf
21 Search results for publications that cite this dataset by its DOI. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=10.5067%2FRSX12-L2B11
21 Access to Climate quality L2B data record. http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/dataset/RSCAT_LEVEL_2B_OWV_CLIM_12_V1
33 User Guide https://archive.podaac.earthdata.nasa.gov/podaac-ops-cumulus-docs/rapidscat/open/L2B12/docs/rscat_l2b_user_guide_v1.pdf
21 Browse granule search results in Earthdata Search https://search.earthdata.nasa.gov/search/granules?p=C2526576283-POCLOUD
8 ASCII CSV orbital revolution time tables with quality assurance information. https://podaac-tools.jpl.nasa.gov/drive/files/allData/rapidscat/ancillary/revtime.csv
21 Detailed background information on the ISS-RapidScat mission published by the eoPortal. https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/i/iss-rapidscat
21 README file https://archive.podaac.earthdata.nasa.gov/podaac-ops-cumulus-docs/rapidscat/open/L2B12/v1.1/README.txt
21 Data Use and Citation Policy https://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/CitingPODAAC
21 HTTPS endpoint for data browse and download https://cmr.earthdata.nasa.gov/virtual-directory/collections/C2526576283-POCLOUD
21 Text file containing reverse chronological list of future scheduled outages and past outages. A start/stop date/time and description is provided for each outage. This list is maintained by NOAA/NESDIS to service near-real-time data users. http://manati.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/rscat_images/monitor/RapidScat_Scheduled_Outages.txt

Tags

  • oceans
  • ocean-winds
  • earth-science

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