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SeaWinds QuikSCAT Scatterometer Ocean Winds from Remote Sensing Systems

d744003
| DOI: 10.5065/RWAS-4015
 
Abstract:

The SeaWinds instrument on the QuikSCAT satellite is a specialized radar that measures near-surface wind speed and direction at a 25 km resolution. This instrument has been measuring winds over approximately 90% of the ice-free ocean since 19 July 1999. These data were prepared by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS). A new geophysical model function, called Ku-2001, was used in this version of the dataset and is considered an improvement over the earlier Ku-2000 and the old NSCAT-2 functions because of more accurate retrievals of high winds (greater than 30 m/s). The dataset time series ends in June 2002, however, continuing data are available from RSS.

Many more details concerning the Ku-2001 data are available from the RSS website. These data are also directly available from RSS.

Notice 07/28/2006: JPL PO.DAAC has initiated reprocessing of all ADEOS-II and QuikSCAT data with superior algorithms for retrievals in high wind speed and light rain areas. This reprocessing could effect this dataset. More information is available at JPL PO.DAAC.

Temporal Range:
1999-07 to 2009-04-30
Variables:
Surface Winds
Vertical Levels:
Ground or water surface
Data Types:
Satellite
Data Contributors:
RSS
Remote Sensing Systems
Total Volume:
55.57 GB
Data Formats:
Binary (see dataset documentation)
Related RDA Datasets:
-
The SeaWinds QuikSCAT L2B Scatterometer Ocean Winds, Version 3.0
-
QSCAT/NCEP Blended Ocean Winds from Colorado Research Associates (version 5.0)
-
QSCAT (Ku-2001) Ocean Winds Derived by Locally Weighted Regression Interpolation (Version 1e)
Metadata Record:
Data License:
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