Atlantic Stratocumulus Wind Data from ERS-1 Scatterometer

Wind scatterometer data from the ERS-1 satellite, collected during the June 1992 ASTEX field campaign in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean. The dataset was processed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and is provided by NASA's LARC_ASDC. It contains orbital data for 501 orbits, with a 35-day repeat cycle, focusing on a 300km wide measurement zone.

Use Cases

• Validate and improve the CMOD2 wind retrieval algorithm by analyzing the reported 180-degree wind direction ambiguity.
• Study marine stratocumulus cloud life cycles by correlating wind vector data with concurrent cloud observations from the ASTEX campaign.
• Assess satellite-derived wind field coherence over the eastern North Atlantic Ocean for specific orbital tracks.
• Investigate the interaction between surface wind patterns and cloud radiative properties using the coordinated satellite and airborne observation context.

Strengths

• Data from a dedicated 28-day intensive field observation period (June 1-28, 1992).
• Covers 501 complete satellite orbits with a defined 35-day orbital cycle.
• Provides wind measurements over a specific 300km wide swath in a key marine stratocumulus region.

Limitations

• The processing algorithm (CMOD2) is known to fail in some cases, producing erroneous wind directions.
• Data is temporally limited to a single month (June 1992).
• Raw data requires careful examination for coherence before use, as noted by the provider.

Provenance

Source

European Space Agency (ESA) ERS-1 satellite, processed and provided by NASA's LARC_ASDC.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the ERS-1 wind scatterometer, with data extracted from ESA's fast delivery product tapes.

Time Range

June 1992.

Freshness

Data is from 1992; no update frequency indicated.

Geography

Eastern North Atlantic Ocean, specifically the ASTEX domain.