IMOS VIIRS Nighttime Sea Surface Temperature, 0.02 Degree Grid

A single sensor, multiple swath SSTskin product for a single night-time period, derived using observations from the VIIRS instrument on the Suomi-NPP satellite. It is provided as a 0.02deg x 0.02deg cylindrical equidistant projected map over the region 70°E to 170°W, 20°N to 70°S. The data is produced by the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated on 2026-07-13.

Use Cases

• Monitoring diurnal temperature cycles based on night-time only data collection.
• Analyzing regional ocean heat content based on high-resolution 0.02-degree gridded SSTskin data.
• Validating oceanographic models based on satellite-derived SST products with quality levels remapped using Sensor Specific Error Statistics (SSES).
• Studying spatial patterns of sea surface temperature in the Southern Hemisphere based on the defined geographic region.

Strengths

• Data is derived from the VIIRS instrument on the Suomi-NPP satellite, a specific sensor source.
• Product has a spatial resolution of 0.02 degrees by 0.02 degrees.
• Covers a defined geographic region from 70°E to 170°W and 20°N to 70°S.
• Quality levels were remapped using original ACSPO VIIRS L3U quality levels and Sensor Specific Error Statistics (SSES).

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 temporal bias inherent to being a single night-time period product.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network via data_gov_au, referencing IMOS (Integrated Marine Observing System).

Collection Method

Derived from observations by the VIIRS instrument on the Suomi-NPP satellite, composited and remapped.

Time Range

Covers a single night-time period; specific date is not provided in the input.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-13 20:12:15.760083; freshness should be verified.

Geography

70°E to 170°W, 20°N to 70°S (Australasian and Southern Ocean region).