Suomi-NPP VIIRS SST3: Near Real-Time Triple-Window Sea Surface Temperature

Suomi-NPP VIIRS Level-2 Regional Triple-window Sea Surface Temperature (SST3) data provides near real-time (NRT) ocean surface temperature measurements. The dataset uses a thermal-infrared algorithm combining three atmospheric windows to better correct for water-vapor effects compared to standard methods. It includes geophysical variables for temperature, bias, quality flags, and standard deviation.

Use Cases

• Monitoring short-term ocean thermal anomalies based on near real-time temperature data.
• Assessing algorithm performance by comparing bias_sst_triple and sstref reference values.
• Filtering data quality for analysis using qual_sst_triple and l2_flags integer bitmasks.
• Studying spatial variability in sea surface temperature using the standard deviation field.

Strengths

• Provides near real-time (NRT) data snapshots, enabling timely analysis.
• Uses a triple-window algorithm for improved water-vapor correction compared to split-window methods.
• Dataset is hosted by NASA, indicating authoritative origin and scientific curation.

Limitations

• Input metadata is incomplete; specific row counts, file sizes, and license information are unknown.
• The NRT products use less-than-optimal ancillary data and calibration, as described by the source.
• Conflicting tags and descriptions exist across platforms, with one source incorrectly referencing Saturn's moons, suggesting potential metadata contamination.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ocean Biology DAAC

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi-NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS).

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-04-10 according to one platform entry.

Geography

Regional coverage, specific regions not defined.