ISS-RapidScat: Surface Radar Backscatter and Attenuation Measurements

Approximately 61 degrees North to 61 degrees South, this dataset provides calibrated surface-flagged sigma-0 (radar backscatter) and attenuation corrections in 12.5 km Wind Vector Cells. It is the Version 2.0 Level 2A science data record from the ISS-mounted RapidScat instrument, a Ku-band scatterometer derived from QuikSCAT hardware. Data are stored in single-orbit HDF-4 files with a list structure to accommodate the instrument's variable circular scan pattern.

Use Cases

• Calibrating wind retrieval algorithms based on surface-flagged sigma-0 measurements.
• Studying radar signal attenuation over the ocean using the provided attenuation corrections.
• Analyzing backscatter variability across Wind Vector Cells (WVCs) indexed by the cell_index array.
• Comparing scatterometer data from non-sun-synchronous orbits (ISS-RapidScat) with sun-synchronous missions (QuikSCAT).

Strengths

• Represents a complete historical re-processing (Version 2.0) for consistent calibration across the mission's operational period.
• Provides specific spatial coverage from approximately 61°N to 61°S.
• Data structure minimizes volume by storing sigma-0 cells as indexed lists per Wind Vector Cell row.

Limitations

• Column names and dataset size (rows, file size) are not specified in any source.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between platforms (2016-08-19 on NASA Earthdata vs. 2026-03-12 and 2026-04-09 on Data.gov).
• Latitude coverage is restricted compared to polar-orbiting satellites, and there is no consistent local time of day retrieval.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Data collected by the ISS-RapidScat scatterometer, a Ku-band dual-beam circular rotating radar mounted on the International Space Station's Columbus module.

Time Range

Covers the operational period of the ISS-RapidScat mission (explicit dates not provided).

Freshness

2026-04-09 22:58:24.231292 (from Data.gov, though this date is far in the future and conflicts with an earlier date from NASA Earthdata)

Geography

Global coverage between approximately 61 degrees North and 61 degrees South latitude.