IMOS Satellite SST: NOAA 19 Daytime Averages for Australia Region

A single-day sea surface temperature (SST) skin product derived from daytime observations by the AVHRR instrument on NOAA-19 and other NOAA-XX satellites. The data is presented as a 0.02-degree resolution grid covering 70°E to 170°W and 20°N to 70°S, with each cell containing a one-day area-weighted average of the highest quality SSTs. The product is provided by the Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) and is part of the GHRSST suite of NOAA/AVHRR products.

Use Cases

• Validating ocean circulation models based on daily sea surface temperature skin measurements.
• Assessing regional SST anomalies and trends for the Australia region based on the 0.02-degree gridded data.
• Calibrating other satellite or in-situ SST sensors using the product's reported bias and standard deviation metrics.
• Studying diurnal warming cycles using daytime-only SSTskin data.

Strengths

• Provides quantified accuracy metrics, with 2014 biases reported as < 0.1°C and standard deviations of 0.5°C to 0.6°C for NOAA-18 and NOAA-19.
• Data is gridded at a consistent 0.02-degree spatial resolution, facilitating spatial analysis.
• Product is part of the standardized GHRSST (Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature) suite, indicating adherence to community protocols.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data is limited to daytime passes only, excluding nocturnal observations.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN) / Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS).

Collection Method

Derived from observations by the AVHRR instrument on NOAA-XX satellites, processed into daily area-weighted averages on a cylindrical equidistant grid.

Time Range

Covers a single day; specific date is not provided in the input.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-13 20:24:13.422029; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Covers the region 70°E to 170°W, 20°N to 70°S, which includes the waters around Australia and the South Pacific.