IMOS SST: Single-Sensor Monthly Sea Surface Temperature Averages for the Southern Ocean

A 0.02° x 0.02° gridded map of sea surface temperature (SST) for the Southern Ocean region from 3°E to 158°W and 27°S to 78°S. The product, created by the Australian Ocean Data Network, provides one-month averages of SST derived from NOAA AVHRR satellite observations, with a reported 2014 bias of less than 0.03°C and standard deviation of 0.6°C. Production of this single-sensor product ceased in June 2025.

Use Cases

• Analyzing monthly sea surface temperature patterns in the Southern Ocean based on the 0.02° gridded data.
• Validating satellite-derived SST algorithms based on the reported matchup statistics with buoy observations.
• Studying long-term climate trends in polar regions based on the time-series of monthly averaged SST.
• Assessing the impact of sensor-specific processing on SST data based on the single-sensor (AVHRR) derivation method.

Strengths

• Provides a specific spatial resolution of 0.02° x 0.02° over a defined Southern Ocean region.
• Includes documented quality metrics, citing a typical 2014 bias of <0.03°C and standard deviation of 0.6°C.
• Derived from a defined source: AVHRR instruments on NOAA polar-orbiting satellites.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data production ceased in June 2025, limiting temporal coverage for recent studies.
• The description does not specify the exact temporal range of the available data, only the product's end date.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Derived from observations by AVHRR instruments on NOAA polar-orbiting satellites, processed into monthly averages on a cylindrical equidistant grid.

Time Range

Covers one-month periods; overall product generation ceased June 2025.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-05 06:56:06.996239; freshness should be verified

Geography

Southern Ocean region 3°E to 158°W, 27°S to 78°S.