Satellite Ocean Wind Climatology With Multi-Sensor Merged Data

Remote Sensing Systems provides a 1-degree gridded global dataset of ocean wind speeds, derived from a merged product of seven satellite microwave radiometers. The dataset includes a 12-month climatology, monthly anomaly maps, trend analysis, and time series covering a period from January 1988 to March 2016. This V7R01 product is constructed using inter-calibrated brightness temperature data and a consistent processing methodology across all sensors.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term wind speed trends over global oceans using the provided trend map and time series.
• Studying seasonal wind patterns via the 12-month climatology and monthly anomaly maps.
• Validating climate or weather model outputs against a consistent, multi-sensor satellite record.
• Investigating latitudinal variations in wind speed over time using the time-latitude plot.

Strengths

• Data integrates measurements from seven distinct satellite radiometer series (SSM/I, SSMIS, AMSR-E, AMSR-2, WindSat), ensuring broad spatial and temporal coverage.
• Sensors were inter-calibrated at the brightness temperature level and processed with a consistent V7 methodology, enhancing comparability.
• Provides multiple derived products including climatology, anomalies, trends, and time series for direct analysis.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and column names are not provided by any source, limiting precise technical assessment.
• License information is conflicting: one source specifies 'other-license-specified', while another lists it as null.

Provenance

Source

Remote Sensing Systems (RSS), with data hosted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Collection Method

Constructed from version-7 passive microwave geophysical ocean products derived from inter-calibrated satellite radiometer brightness temperatures.

Time Range

1988-01-01 to 2016-03-31

Freshness

2026-03-12 22:22:52.780274

Geography

Global ocean areas at a 1-degree grid resolution.