QuikSCAT: Ocean Surface Wind Vectors at 12.5km Resolution

Version 3.1 reprocessed Level 2B science-quality ocean surface wind vector retrievals from the QuikSCAT scatterometer are provided on a non-uniform grid at 12.5 km pixel resolution. The dataset uses a slice composite technique and incorporates enhanced coastal processing with a Land Contamination Ratio method, reducing the coastal data gap by approximately half compared to the previous Version 3.0. Each file corresponds to a specific orbital revolution, beginning at the southernmost point of the ascending orbit.

Use Cases

• Monitoring coastal wind patterns based on the enhanced Land Contamination Ratio processing.
• Validating and improving numerical weather prediction models using science-quality wind vector retrievals.
• Studying ocean-atmosphere dynamics and climate variability using the 12.5 km resolution slice composite data.
• Analyzing wind vector changes over time by referencing specific orbital revolution files.

Strengths

• Provides science-quality wind vector retrievals at a 12.5 km pixel resolution.
• Enhanced coastal processing reduces the coastal data gap by approximately half compared to the previous Version 3.0 dataset.
• Official dataset produced by the NASA QuikSCAT Project through the SeaWinds Processing and Analysis Center (SeaPAC).

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low: column names, row counts, and dataset size are not specified on any platform.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2009-11-22 on NASA Earthdata vs. 2026-03-12 and 2026-04-09 on Data.gov), creating uncertainty about data freshness.
• Documentation for processing changes is referenced via an external 2016 presentation link rather than a formal publication.

Provenance

Source

NASA QuikSCAT Project, SeaWinds Processing and Analysis Center (SeaPAC)

Collection Method

Satellite scatterometer measurements from the QuikSCAT mission, processed to Level 2B.

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:11:10.875830

Geography

Global ocean surface.