Polarimetric Ku-Band Scatterometer Data for Snow Water Equivalent

Ku-band polarimetric scatterometer (POLSCAT) data was collected during the Cold Land Processes Field Experiment (CLPX) to support algorithm development for retrieving snow water equivalent (SWE). The dataset is provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Sources show a significant conflict in the last updated date, ranging from 2003 to 2026.

Use Cases

• Developing retrieval algorithms for snow water equivalent (SWE) using polarimetric radar backscatter measurements.
• Calibrating and validating snowpack models with airborne Ku-band scatterometer observations.
• Studying the relationship between snowpack properties and microwave scattering signatures for remote sensing applications.

Strengths

• Data originates from a controlled field experiment (Cold Land Processes Field Experiment - CLPX) designed for algorithm development.
• Dataset is hosted on multiple authoritative platforms (Data.gov and NASA Earthdata), indicating its established importance.

Limitations

• Critical metadata conflict: last updated dates are 2003-03-30 on NASA Earthdata and 2026-03-13 on Data.gov, creating uncertainty about data currency.
• No column names, row counts, or specific data size are provided in any source description.
• License is listed as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov but is 'None' on NASA Earthdata, requiring user verification.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected via airborne Ku-band polarimetric scatterometer (POLSCAT) as part of the Cold Land Processes Field Experiment (CLPX).

Time Range

null

Freshness

2026-03-13 18:29:35.218007 (Data.gov), but conflicting with NASA Earthdata's 2003 date.

Geography

Cold Land Processes Field Experiment (CLPX) study areas.