GHRSST Regional Blended Sea Surface Temperature Analysis for North America

Four daily operational sea surface temperature products are created from MODIS and AMSRE satellite composites over a 0.011-degree grid. This specific dataset is a nighttime analysis blending MODIS Aqua and AMSRE data for the region off North and Central America (62N - 20S, 165W - 30W). The dataset is produced by the JPL Physical Oceanography DAAC and is categorized as a blended Level 4 analysis.

Use Cases

• Analyzing daily sea surface temperature anomalies and trends for the North American coastal region.
• Validating ocean circulation and heat flux models using satellite-derived blended SST data.
• Studying diurnal temperature variation by comparing this nighttime composite with corresponding daytime products.
• Investigating regional climate patterns like El Niño effects through consistent, gridded temperature records.

Strengths

• Provides daily operational data on a high-resolution 0.011-degree grid.
• Blends observations from two satellite sensors (MODIS and AMSRE) to leverage the strengths of each.
• Represents one of four consistent product variants, enabling controlled comparative studies.

Limitations

• Key technical specifications like row count, file size, and column names are unavailable from all sources.
• There is a significant conflict in the last updated date, with one source listing 2012 and another listing 2026.
• The dataset is a blended product with no correction for foundation or skin temperature, which may limit certain physical interpretations.

Provenance

Source

JPL Physical Oceanography DAAC, using data from NASA's MODIS (Aqua/Terra) and AMSRE satellites.

Collection Method

Daily weighted averages and compositing of GHRSST L2P skin SST (MODIS) and subskin SST (AMSRE) observations.

Time Range

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Freshness

2026-03-06 00:23:48.029740

Geography

Oceans off North and Central America (62N - 20S, 165W - 30W).