North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature from NOAA-18 Satellite

2005 to present satellite-derived sea surface temperature data for the North Atlantic Region, produced by EUMETSAT's OSI SAF. The dataset provides Level 2P bulk sea surface temperature fields at a 2 km resolution, derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on the NOAA-18 platform. It is part of the Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) initiative.

Use Cases

• Analyzing spatial patterns of sea surface temperature using the 2 km resolution stereopolar grid mosaics.
• Studying temporal trends in North Atlantic ocean temperature from the time-series data collected since the satellite's 2005 launch.
• Validating ocean circulation and climate models with directly observed bulk sea surface temperature fields.
• Assessing thermal conditions for marine ecosystem health and fisheries management in the region.

Strengths

• Provides a long-term record from a well-established sensor lineage, with AVHRR operational legacy tracing back to 1978.
• Data is remapped to a consistent 2 km resolution stereopolar grid, facilitating spatial analysis.
• Incorporates an operational cloud mask based on a multi-spectral thresholding algorithm to improve data quality.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and detailed column names are not provided by any source platform.
• Sources conflict on the last update date, with one listing 2010-09-14 and another listing 2026-03-05, creating uncertainty about data currency.

Provenance

Source

European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSI SAF).

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on the NOAA-18 platform, with data processed through direct broadcast High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT).

Time Range

2005 (launch of NOAA-18) to present.

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:48:56.214908

Geography

North Atlantic Region.