Aquarius V5.0: Monthly Sea Surface Spiciness Satellite Data

Aquarius Level 3 sea surface spiciness standard mapped image data provides monthly averaged spice values at a 1-degree spatial resolution. This dataset originates from the Aquarius instrument on the NASA/CONAE AQUARIUS/SAC-D satellite, which uses three radiometers and a scatterometer to measure brightness temperature and ocean backscatter for salinity estimation. The data is part of Version 5.0 of the Aquarius project.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ocean density variations based on monthly spiciness maps.
• Studying sea surface salinity patterns using satellite radiometer and scatterometer data.
• Investigating long-term oceanographic trends from gridded, time-averaged spice data.
• Validating ocean circulation models with spatially mapped satellite observations.

Strengths

• Provides data at a consistent 1-degree spatial resolution.
• Derived from a dedicated satellite instrument with three radiometers and a scatterometer for robust measurement.
• Available across multiple temporal scales, including daily, 7-day, monthly, and seasonal averages.

Limitations

• Column names and exact data structure are unknown from the provided metadata.
• The last update date conflicts between sources, with one listing 2026 and another 2015.
• Specific file size and row counts are not provided.

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 spacecraft.

Freshness

2026-03-13 17:11:50.815438

Geography

Global ocean coverage with a 370 km cross-track swath.