Aquarius Satellite Monthly Sea Surface Salinity Maps

Monthly gridded sea surface salinity data at 1-degree spatial resolution represents the official end-of-mission release from the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite. The dataset is produced by NASA and Argentina's CONAE from measurements by three radiometers and a scatterometer. This version 5.0 data was last updated in June 2015.

Use Cases

• Analyzing monthly sea surface salinity anomalies and trends using the 1-degree gridded data.
• Validating ocean circulation models by comparing model outputs against satellite-derived salinity maps.
• Studying the relationship between sea surface salinity and climate indices like El Niño-Southern Oscillation.
• Assessing the performance of the Aquarius radiometer and scatterometer system for roughness corrections.

Strengths

• 1-degree spatial resolution provides global coverage for large-scale analysis.
• Data incorporates corrections from a dedicated 1.26 GHz scatterometer for surface roughness.
• Version 5.0 represents the final, calibrated public release from the mission.

Limitations

• Data collection ended with the mission, so the time series is fixed and not updated beyond 2015.
• The 1-degree resolution is too coarse for studying coastal or mesoscale ocean processes.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and detailed error metrics are not provided in the description.

Provenance

Source

NASA and Argentina's Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE).

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the Aquarius instrument's three radiometers and a scatterometer onboard the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite.

Time Range

Monthly averages; specific date range not provided.

Freshness

Last updated in 2015; represents a finalized historical archive.

Geography

Global ocean coverage within the instrument's 370 km cross-track swath.