Aquarius Satellite Daily Sea Surface Density Maps

Aquarius Level 3 data provides daily, ascending-pass sea surface density estimates at a 1-degree spatial resolution. The dataset is derived from salinity retrieved by the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite's three radiometers and scatterometer, using collocated sea surface temperature data. This represents the official Version 5.0 release from NASA and CONAE.

Use Cases

• Analyzing daily variations in ocean surface density for circulation modeling.
• Studying the relationship between sea surface salinity, temperature, and density using the TEOS-10 derived estimates.
• Validating ocean models with satellite-derived gridded density maps at 1-degree resolution.
• Investigating seasonal and interannual density changes in the global ocean from the multi-year record.

Strengths

• Data is from the official Version 5.0 release of the Aquarius mission, indicating a processed, stable product.
• Provides global daily coverage at a consistent 1-degree spatial resolution for analysis.
• Derived using the TEOS-10 standard for seawater properties, ensuring thermodynamic consistency.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA EarthData and Data.gov signals its importance and curated status.

Limitations

• Key metadata conflicts exist: Data.gov lists a 'last updated' date of 2026-03-13, which is implausible and contradicts NASA's 2015 date.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and exact column names are unavailable from all sources.
• The dataset is limited to ascending satellite passes only, missing descending pass data.

Provenance

Source

NASA and the Argentinian Space Agency (CONAE) via the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite mission.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing using three L-band radiometers and a scatterometer to measure brightness temperature and ocean backscatter.

Time Range

Coverage includes daily, 7-day, monthly, and seasonal averages, though the specific date range is not provided.

Freshness

Conflicting: NASA EarthData lists 2015-06-07, Data.gov lists an implausible 2026-03-13.

Geography

Global ocean coverage.