Aquarius V5.0: Descending Rain-Flagged Sea Surface Salinity

Aquarius Level 3 data provides global sea surface salinity maps at a 1-degree spatial resolution, derived from a satellite instrument using three radiometers and a scatterometer for surface roughness correction. This specific product is the mission cumulative dataset, containing only descending pass retrievals flagged for rain contamination. The Aquarius/SAC-D satellite was a collaborative mission between NASA and Argentina's CONAE.

Use Cases

• [Monitoring global ocean salinity patterns] based on [gridded 1-degree resolution maps averaged over daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal scales]
• [Analyzing the impact of rain on salinity retrievals] based on [rain-flagged data from descending satellite passes]
• [Validating ocean circulation and climate models] based on [mission-cumulative sea surface salinity time series]
• [Studying surface roughness correction methods] based on [scatterometer backscatter data at 1.26 GHz]

Strengths

• Provides data at a consistent 1-degree spatial resolution for global analysis
• Includes multiple temporal aggregations: daily, 7-day, monthly, and seasonal averages
• Utilizes a sophisticated instrument suite with three radiometers (at 29°, 38°, 46°) and a dedicated scatterometer for corrections

Limitations

• Column names and exact data structure are not provided in the metadata
• The dataset appears to be a final, cumulative product, suggesting no ongoing updates beyond the mission end
• Metadata freshness conflicts: one source lists an update in 2026, while another lists 2015, indicating potential inconsistency

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the Aquarius instrument on the AQUARIUS/SAC-D satellite, using radiometers and a scatterometer.

Time Range

Mission cumulative (likely covering the full Aquarius satellite operational period).

Freshness

2026-03-13 17:26:59.465234 (from datagov), but conflicting with 2015 date from nasa_earthdata.

Geography

Global ocean coverage, with a total instrument swath of approximately 370 km (radiometers) and 390 km (scatterometer).