Metop-B ASCAT: Inter-Calibrated Ocean Wind Curl and Divergence Derivatives

NASA's MEaSUREs program funded the first science-quality release of ocean surface wind curl and divergence data. Derived from MetOp-B ASCAT scatterometer observations, these Level 2 data are intercalibrated with MetOp-A, ScatSat-1, and QuikScat satellites. Each file corresponds to an orbital revolution, providing estimates at ~12.5 km resolution within the satellite swath.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ocean surface wind stress patterns based on curl and divergence variables
• Studying ocean-atmosphere coupling dynamics based on intercalibrated satellite wind measurements
• Evaluating spatial derivatives of wind for climate models based on multi-instrument calibration
• Mapping wind field variability based on orbital revolution data files

Strengths

• Intercalibrated with three other satellite instruments (MetOp-A, ScatSat-1, QuikScat)
• First science-quality release funded under the NASA MEaSUREs program
• Provides curl and divergence estimates computed over several spatial domains with varying radii

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Derived from satellite-based scatterometer observations (MetOp-B ASCAT)

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 00:47:43.469974; freshness should be verified

Geography

Global ocean coverage within satellite swaths