Atlantic Ocean Sea Surface Temperature from TRMM Microwave Imager

North Atlantic region subskin sea surface temperature data derived from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager. This GHRSST dataset contains gridded Level 3 collated (L3C) measurements from ascending and descending satellite orbits, processed to GDS version 1.5 specifications by the Medspiration Regional Data Assembly Center for the GHRSST Pilot Project.

Use Cases

• Analyzing diurnal sea surface temperature cycles using separately packaged ascending (daytime) and descending (nighttime) orbit data.
• Validating ocean model outputs in the 38°S to 38°N latitude band using well-calibrated passive microwave retrievals.
• Studying subskin temperature patterns in the North Atlantic region for climate research.
• Assessing the impact of satellite orbit precession on observation time for a given earth location.

Strengths

• Data originates from a well-calibrated passive microwave radiometer (TMI) with lower frequency channels specifically required for SST retrievals.
• Provides separate files for daytime and nighttime observations, enabling analysis of diurnal cycles.
• Processed according to the international GHRSST Data Processing Specification (GDS version 1.5).
• Covers a long-term period from the TRMM satellite launch in November 1997.

Limitations

• Platforms disagree on the last updated date: Data.gov lists 2026-03-06, while NASA Earthdata lists 2007-02-27, indicating potential metadata conflicts.
• The dataset carries an incorrect 'L2P' designation; it is actually a gridded 'L3C' product per GHRSST specifications.
• Spatial coverage is limited to the North Atlantic region and the tropical band between 38°S and 38°N.

Provenance

Source

Remote Sensing Systems BMAPS format TMI data, processed by the Medspiration Regional Data Assembly Center (RDAC) for the GHRSST Pilot Project.

Collection Method

Satellite passive microwave radiometer measurements from the TRMM Microwave Imager, downloaded hourly and gridded into netCDF files.

Time Range

From November 1997 (TRMM launch) onward.

Freshness

2026-03-06 00:20:15.100007

Geography

North Atlantic region within the global tropical band (38°S to 38°N).