GHRSST Level 3U: Global Subskin Sea Surface Temperature from WindSat Radiometer

The GHRSST Level 3U dataset provides global subskin sea surface temperature measurements from the WindSat Polarimetric Radiometer aboard the Coriolis satellite. Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) processes the data, offering both near-real-time products within 3 hours of recording and final archive-quality products (version 7.0.1a) generally available within 7 days. The dataset is provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Use Cases

• Modeling ocean heat content and climate patterns based on global sea surface temperature measurements.
• Assimilating satellite-derived SST data into numerical weather prediction models based on the near-real-time availability.
• Studying ocean surface wind vector interactions using the multi-parameter sensing capabilities mentioned in the description.
• Comparing passive microwave sensor geometries and retrieval algorithms based on the unique fore and aft scan methodology.

Strengths

• Provides both near-real-time (within 3 hours) and final archive-quality (within 7 days) data products.
• Uses a unique dual-scan (fore and aft) methodology from the WindSat sensor for a wider swath.
• Final processing incorporates NCEP FNL atmospheric analysis for more accurate SST and wind speed retrievals.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale modeling.
• The swath geometry is described as 'significantly more complicated' than other sensors, which may increase processing complexity.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), processed by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS).

Collection Method

Satellite measurements from the WindSat Polarimetric Radiometer on the Coriolis satellite, launched January 6, 2003.

Time Range

Data collection began in 2003; temporal coverage of the specific version is not specified.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:40:08.127988; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global coverage.