ISS-RapidScat: Ocean Surface Wind Vectors at 12.5km Resolution

From February 2016 onward, this dataset provides science-quality ocean surface wind vectors from the ISS-RapidScat scatterometer, processed at a 12.5 km grid resolution. It is a calibrated replacement for earlier versions, specifically addressing low signal-to-noise ratio states. The data is restricted to latitudes between approximately 61 degrees North and South due to the instrument's orbit on the International Space Station.

Use Cases

• Monitoring tropical cyclone wind fields based on the 12.5 km Wind Vector Cell (WVC) grid.
• Analyzing mid-latitude ocean-atmosphere exchange processes based on the Ku-band scatterometer wind retrievals.
• Calibrating or validating numerical weather prediction models using the re-calibrated sigma-0 data.
• Studying temporal wind variability in the tropics based on the non-sun-synchronous orbit's inconsistent local time retrieval.

Strengths

• Provides a calibrated continuation of the QuikSCAT wind record from February 2016, addressing specific low-SNR instrument states.
• Offers a specific spatial resolution of 12.5 km for wind vector cells.
• Has a defined latitudinal coverage from approximately 61°N to 61°S.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low: column names, row counts, and file sizes are unknown across all sources.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' metadata, with dates of 2016-08-19 and 2026-04-09 reported.
• Spatial coverage is limited to tropics and mid-latitudes, excluding polar regions.

Provenance

Source

NASA ISS-RapidScat mission, processed by POCLOUD.

Collection Method

Satellite scatterometer measurements binned and processed to Level 2B science products.

Time Range

From orbital revolution 7873 (11 February 2016) onward.

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:02:16.864986

Geography

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