Aquarius Level 3: 7-Day Running Mean Sea Surface Salinity Satellite Data

Aquarius Level 3 sea surface salinity data provides gridded 1-degree spatial resolution salinity measurements averaged over daily, 7-day, monthly, and seasonal time scales. This specific dataset is the 7-day running mean, rain-flagged product from version 5.0, collected by the AQUARIUS/SAC-D satellite, a collaboration between NASA and Argentina's CONAE. The data was last updated on March 13, 2026.

Use Cases

• Modeling global ocean salinity patterns based on 1-degree gridded, rain-flagged sea surface salinity data.
• Analyzing temporal salinity changes based on daily, 7-day, monthly, and seasonal averaged time scales.
• Correcting salinity estimates for surface roughness using the described scatterometer backscatter measurements.
• Studying satellite instrument performance based on the described three radiometer beams with specific incidence angles and footprints.

Strengths

• Data is derived from a dedicated satellite instrument (Aquarius) with three radiometers and a scatterometer for corrections.
• Provides salinity data at a 1-degree spatial resolution across multiple temporal averages (daily, 7-day, monthly, seasonal).
• Produced through a collaborative mission between NASA and Argentina's space agency (CONAE).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and total data size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected via the AQUARIUS/SAC-D satellite's three radiometers and a scatterometer measuring brightness temperature and ocean backscatter.

Time Range

Temporal coverage is not explicitly stated in the provided input.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 15:00:58.517819; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Likely provides global ocean coverage given the satellite's 370 km cross-track swath.