GHRSST v8.2: Global Subskin Sea Surface Temperature from AMSR2 Satellite

A global sea surface temperature dataset derived from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) onboard the GCOM-W satellite, launched 18 May 2012. The product is processed by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) using atmospheric model data from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Final Analysis. The conical scan mechanism provides more than 99% coverage of the Earth every 2 days.

Use Cases

• Modeling climate variation mechanisms based on global sea surface temperature observations.
• Analyzing water cycle variations based on long-term, consistent satellite-derived SST data.
• Monitoring global ocean temperature trends based on near-daily coverage from a conical scanning instrument.
• Improving SST and wind speed retrieval accuracy based on the incorporation of NCEP wind direction data.

Strengths

• Provides more than 99% Earth coverage every 2 days due to the instrument's conical scan mechanism.
• Derived from a long-term observation system (GCOM-W mission) continuing Aqua/AMSR-E observations.
• Processed using NCEP Final Analysis data, which is noted as useful for retrieving more accurate SSTs.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Remote Sensing Systems (RSS/REMSS) using data from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) GCOM-W satellite.

Collection Method

Derived from microwave emissions measured by the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2).

Time Range

Data collection began after the satellite launch on 18 May 2012.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 13 02:33:04.061124; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global coverage.