IMOS Himawari-8: Nighttime Sea Surface Temperature for Australasia

Australasian regional sea surface temperature (SST) data on a 0.02-degree grid, derived from the Himawari-8 satellite's AHI imager. The Bureau of Meteorology produces this GHRSST L3C dataset by compositing reprocessed multi-swath SSTskin retrievals from night-time hourly files. The product is compliant with the GHRSST Data Specification version 2 and is available in real-time and delayed mode.

Use Cases

• Monitoring diurnal temperature cycles based on night-time SSTskin retrievals.
• Analyzing regional ocean heat content trends based on the 0.02-degree gridded data over the Australasian domain.
• Validating oceanographic models using GHRSST-compliant satellite-derived SST fields.
• Studying cloud-clearing algorithm performance based on the Bayesian method described.

Strengths

• Data is produced on a high-resolution 0.02-degree grid covering a large Australasian domain (70E to 190E, 70S to 20N).
• SST retrievals use the Radiative Transfer Model (RTTOV12.3) and a Bayesian cloud clearing method, suggesting a sophisticated processing chain.
• The product is compliant with the international GHRSST Data Specification (GDS) version 2, promoting interoperability.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the Himawari-8 satellite's coverage of the Australasian domain.

Provenance

Source

Bureau of Meteorology, produced for the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS).

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing retrievals from the AHI imager on board Himawari-8, processed using RTTOV12.3 and Bayesian cloud clearing, then composited into daily night-time products.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-13 20:04:20.474238; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Australasian domain (70E to 190E, 70S to 20N).