Global Daily Land Freeze/Thaw Status from NASA Polar Satellite Data

NASA's MEaSUREs program provides a daily record of global landscape freeze/thaw status at 6 km resolution. The data is derived from microwave radiometer observations by JAXA's AMSR-E and AMSR2 instruments. This dataset is maintained by NASA and is available on multiple government platforms.

Use Cases

• Modeling permafrost extent and seasonal thaw dynamics using daily status flags.
• Analyzing the timing of spring thaw and autumn freeze-up events across hemispheres.
• Validating climate and land surface models against observed freeze/thaw cycles.
• Studying the impact of freeze/thaw transitions on hydrological processes and vegetation.

Strengths

• Data is part of NASA's MEaSUREs program, ensuring a standardized, long-term Earth system data record.
• Provides daily, global coverage at a consistent 6 km resolution on standardized EASE-Grid 2.0 polar grids.
• Combines observations from two successive satellite instruments (AMSR-E and AMSR2) for continuity.

Limitations

• Key technical specifications like row count, file size, and specific column names are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, with one platform listing 2026-03-13 and another 2023-12-31.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) MEaSUREs Program, using JAXA's AMSR-E and AMSR2 instruments.

Collection Method

Derived from satellite-based Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer observations.

Time Range

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Freshness

2026-03 13 00:43:29.842314

Geography

Global coverage on Northern and Southern Hemisphere polar EASE-Grid 2.0 grids.