Aquarius Satellite Monthly Sea Surface Density Gridded Data

Aquarius Level 3 sea surface density standard mapped image data provides gridded 1-degree spatial resolution density data, averaged monthly from descending satellite passes. This version 5.0 dataset is a product of the NASA/CONAE AQUARIUS/SAC-D satellite mission, which used three radiometers and a scatterometer to measure brightness temperature and ocean backscatter for deriving density via TEOS-10. The dataset is hosted on multiple platforms, including NASA EarthData and Data.gov, indicating its established use in the scientific community.

Use Cases

• Analyzing monthly variations in global sea surface density patterns using the 1-degree gridded data.
• Validating ocean circulation and climate models with satellite-derived density estimates based on TEOS-10.
• Studying the relationship between sea surface density, salinity (retrieved by Aquarius), and ancillary sea surface temperature.
• Investigating spatial patterns of density anomalies derived from the descending pass measurements with a 370 km swath.

Strengths

• Data is derived from a sophisticated satellite instrument suite, including three radiometers at 1.413 GHz and a 1.26 GHz scatterometer for surface roughness correction.
• Provides global, gridded data at a consistent 1-degree spatial resolution, facilitating large-scale analysis.
• Density estimates are calculated using the internationally recognized TEOS-10 standard, enhancing scientific comparability.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are unavailable from all sources, limiting precise technical assessment.
• There is a conflict in license information: one source lists 'other-license-specified' while others list 'None' or 'unknown'.
• The dataset appears static, with the core metadata last updated in 2015, though one platform shows a 2026 date which may be a system artifact.

Provenance

Source

NASA and the Argentinian Space Agency Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE) via the AQUARIUS/SAC-D satellite mission.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing using the Aquarius instrument's radiometers and scatterometer, with data processed to Level 3 standard mapped images.

Time Range

Monthly averages (specific date range not provided in sources).

Freshness

2015-06-07 12:45:21

Geography

Global ocean coverage from the satellite's 370 km cross-track swath.