DMSP F8 Satellite Ocean Product Grids: 3-Day Averages

Remote Sensing Systems generates this dataset of 3-day averaged ocean surface parameters using a unified algorithm applied to Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) data from the DMSP F8 satellite. The product provides simultaneous retrievals of ocean wind speed, atmospheric water vapor, cloud liquid water, and rain rate. The Global Hydrology Resource Center reformats the original binary data into netCDF files as part of NASA's MEaSUREs Program.

Use Cases

• Analyzing trends in ocean surface wind speed using the retrieved wind speed parameter.
• Studying atmospheric water vapor content and its global distribution over time.
• Investigating relationships between cloud liquid water, rain rate, and weather patterns.
• Validating climate and weather models with satellite-derived geophysical variables.
• Extending long-term time series of oceanographic variables through intercalibrated SSM/I and SSMIS data.

Strengths

• Algorithm is the result of 20 years of refinements, improvements, and verifications.
• SSMIS data are intercalibrated to the brightness temperature level of previous SSM/I sensors, ensuring continuity.
• Data is produced under NASA's MEaSUREs Program, indicating a high standard of scientific curation.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and complete column names are unavailable from all sources.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, reporting both 1991-12-31 and 2026-03-12.
• License is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' or 'None' across platforms.

Provenance

Source

Remote Sensing Systems (RSS), processed and distributed by NASA's Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC DAAC).

Collection Method

Satellite data from the DMSP F8 SSM/I sensor, processed with a unified physically based retrieval algorithm.

Time Range

Coverage includes the operational period of the DMSP F8 satellite, though specific start and end dates are not provided.

Freshness

2026-03-12 21:54:44.257106

Geography

Global ocean coverage.