Global Near-Real-Time Sea Surface Temperature from AMSR2 Satellite

AMSR2 satellite data provides subskin sea surface temperature measurements with over 99% Earth coverage every 2 days. Remote Sensing Systems processes the data, producing both near-real-time products within 3 hours of recording and final archive-quality versions. The instrument has been collecting data since its launch onboard the GCOM-W satellite in May 2012.

Use Cases

• Assimilate near-real-time sea surface temperature fields into numerical weather prediction and ocean circulation models.
• Analyze diurnal temperature variation patterns using the daytime and nighttime data acquisition capability.
• Monitor global sea surface temperature anomalies for climate indices like ENSO by leveraging the 2-day full-Earth coverage.
• Validate and calibrate sea surface temperature retrievals from other satellite sensors using the detailed microwave emission measurements.
• Study air-sea heat flux by combining the subskin temperature data with ancillary atmospheric model data used in final processing.

Strengths

• Provides over 99% coverage of the Earth's surface every 2 days through its conical scan mechanism.
• Near-real-time data products are made available within 3 hours of satellite recording.
• Final processed products incorporate NCEP FNL atmospheric analysis for more accurate sea surface temperature and wind speed retrievals.

Limitations

• The near-real-time product is not intended as archive quality, potentially containing more noise or errors than the final version.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and spatial resolution details are not provided in the available description.
• Data freshness for the final 'v8' product depends on the accumulation of swaths, which can take up to 2 days.

Provenance

Source

Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) on the GCOM-W satellite, processed by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) for the GHRSST Project.

Collection Method

Microwave radiometry measurements from a satellite-borne instrument with a 1450 km swath, processed in two stages (near-real-time and final).

Time Range

From May 2012 (satellite launch) onward.

Freshness

Near-real-time data is available within 3 hours; final data is updated within approximately 2 days.

Geography

Global coverage.