SPURS-2: X-band Marine Radar Rain Echo Images from the E. Tropical Pacific

SPURS-2 shipboard radar screenshots provide a qualitative, high-resolution visual record of rain echoes over the ocean from 2016 and 2017 cruises. This dataset consists of uncalibrated backscatter images, as raw radar data could not be saved, intended for analyzing rainfall patterns and their role in ocean surface freshening. The associated 2019 publication details methods for interpreting these images to generate rain maps and understand salinity processes.

Use Cases

• Analyzing spatial patterns of rainfall over the ocean based on qualitative radar backscatter echoes.
• Studying the relationship between precipitation events and near-surface ocean freshening as part of the SPURS salinity process study.
• Developing or validating methods for deriving high-resolution rain maps from X-band marine radar imagery.
• Providing visual context for in-situ oceanographic measurements collected during the 2016 and 2017 SPURS-2 field campaigns.

Strengths

• Data originates from a NASA-funded oceanographic process study (SPURS), indicating a research-grade collection.
• Covers two distinct field campaigns, providing temporal coverage from both 2016 and 2017 cruises.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA EarthData and Data.gov signals its importance and formal curation.

Limitations

• Data is qualitative and uncalibrated, limiting quantitative analysis without the referenced publication methodology.
• Metadata is incomplete: row counts, column names, and exact size are unknown across all sources.
• A conflict exists in the 'last updated' metadata, with dates ranging from 2017 to 2026, raising questions about maintenance.

Provenance

Source

POCLOUD, collected during NASA SPURS-2 oceanographic field campaigns.

Collection Method

Screenshots captured directly from a science-use X-band marine navigation radar aboard the research ship; raw data was not saved.

Time Range

2016 to 2017

Freshness

2026-04-09 22:44:03.352505

Geography

Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean