IMOS Multi-Sensor Nighttime Sea Surface Temperature, 0.02-Degree Grid

Multi-sensor sea surface temperature data for a single nighttime period, derived from VIIRS and AVHRR sensors on polar-orbiting satellites. The product is provided as a 0.02-degree by 0.02-degree cylindrical equidistant projected map covering the region 70E to 170W, 20N to 70S. It is produced by the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated in May 2026.

Use Cases

• Monitoring nighttime sea surface temperature patterns based on multi-sensor satellite data.
• Validating oceanographic models using the quality-remapped pixel data described.
• Analyzing regional ocean temperature trends in the Australian region based on the defined spatial coverage.

Strengths

• Data is derived from multiple satellite sensors (VIIRS on Suomi-NPP/JPSS and AVHRR on NOAA/Metop), suggesting cross-validation potential.
• Spatial resolution is specified as a 0.02-degree by 0.02-degree grid.
• Quality levels are remapped using original sensor data and Sensor Specific Error Statistics (SSES) as per a cited reference.

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.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network (IMOS - Integrated Marine Observing System)

Collection Method

Derived from sea surface temperature retrievals from VIIRS and AVHRR sensors on polar-orbiting satellites, composited and averaged.

Time Range

Single nighttime period (specific dates not provided).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-05 10:20:43.203024; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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