DMSP F13 Satellite Daily Ocean Wind, Vapor, Cloud, and Rain Grids

Satellite-derived daily geophysical grids provide ocean wind speed, atmospheric water vapor, cloud liquid water, and rain rate. The dataset is produced by Remote Sensing Systems using a unified algorithm refined over two decades, under NASA's MEaSUREs Program. Data from the DMSP F13 satellite's SSM/I sensor are reformatted into netCDF files.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ocean surface wind patterns for meteorological studies.
• Tracking atmospheric water vapor content over global oceans.
• Investigating the distribution of cloud liquid water for climate modeling.
• Estimating precipitation rates over marine environments.
• Extending time series analyses using intercalibrated SSM/I and SSMIS data.

Strengths

• Algorithm development represents 20 years of refinements and verifications.
• SSMIS data are intercalibrated to previous SSM/I brightness temperatures, ensuring continuity.
• Data is produced under NASA's MEaSUREs Program, indicating a formal, sustained effort.

Limitations

• Specific row count, file size, and exact column names are not provided by any source.
• Conflicting last update dates exist: Data.gov lists 2026-03-12, while NASA Earthdata lists 2009-11 04.

Provenance

Source

Remote Sensing Systems, under NASA's MEaSUREs Program.

Collection Method

Unified physical algorithm applied to Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) binary data, reformatted to netCDF by the Global Hydrology Resource Center.

Time Range

Daily coverage from the DMSP F13 satellite.

Freshness

2026-03-12 21:54:48.727209

Geography

Global ocean coverage.