GHRSST North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature from NOAA-17 AVHRR

NOAA-17 satellite's AVHRR sensor provides Level 2P swath-based sea surface temperature data for the North Atlantic region. The dataset is produced by the UK's NEODAAS in collaboration with the National Centre for Ocean Forecasting, with approximately 15 daily passes offering high temporal frequency. It leverages a long operational legacy of AVHRR instruments, using thermal infrared channels to derive SST at a ground resolution of 1.1 km at nadir.

Use Cases

• Deriving sea surface temperature maps using the 11 and 12 micron thermal infrared channels.
• Monitoring daily temperature variability in the North Atlantic and Arctic from approximately 15 satellite passes per day.
• Assimilating Level 2P swath data into numerical ocean forecasting models.
• Studying ocean-atmosphere heat exchange using spatially detailed SST measurements at 1.1 km resolution.

Strengths

• Provides high spatial resolution of 1.1 km at nadir from the AVHRR sensor.
• Offers high temporal frequency with approximately 15 satellite overpasses per day over the target region.
• Follows the international GHRSST Level 2P specification for interoperability.

Limitations

• Specific column names, row counts, and dataset size are unknown from the provided sources.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2010-05-18 and 2026-03-05), casting doubt on data currency.

Provenance

Source

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Earth Observation Data Acquisition and Analysis Service (NEODAAS) and National Centre for Ocean Forecasting (NCOF), UK.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR/2) on the NOAA-17 platform, processed from direct broadcast High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT) data.

Time Range

Data collection began after the NOAA-17 launch on 24 June 2002; exact end date is unknown.

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:37:25.833133

Geography

North Atlantic area, specifically covering NW Europe and the Arctic regions.