Monthly Ocean Wind and Water Vapor Grids from DMSP F10 Satellite

Twenty years of algorithm development underpin this dataset of monthly-averaged ocean surface wind speed, atmospheric water vapor, cloud liquid water, and rain rate. Remote Sensing Systems generated the data using a unified physical algorithm applied to Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder (SSMIS) measurements from the DMSP F10 satellite. The Global Hydrology Resource Center reformatted the original binary products into netCDF files for public distribution.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term trends in ocean surface wind speeds using the wind speed variable.
• Studying atmospheric water vapor distribution and its role in climate using the water vapor column.
• Investigating relationships between cloud liquid water content and precipitation rates.
• Validating climate and weather models with satellite-derived geophysical parameters over oceans.
• Examining spatiotemporal patterns of rain rate over global ocean basins.

Strengths

• Data products result from a single, physically based algorithm refined over 20 years.
• SSMIS data is intercalibrated with earlier SSM/I sensors to ensure a consistent time series.
• Provides simultaneous retrieval of four key ocean-atmosphere variables: wind speed, water vapor, cloud water, and rain rate.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and a complete column list are unavailable from the provided sources.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between sources (1997-11-30 and 2026-03-12), creating uncertainty about data currency.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing via the DMSP F10 spacecraft's SSM/I and SSMIS sensors, with data processed using a unified retrieval algorithm.

Time Range

Coverage includes the operational period of the DMSP F10 satellite; specific start and end dates are not provided.

Freshness

2026-03-12 22:21:17.191483

Geography

Global ocean coverage.