RapidScat Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 1.2

(RSCAT_LEVEL_2B_OWV_COMP_12_V1.2)
2 Publications Cited this Dataset
Citation metrics available for years (2014-2022)
Version1.2
Processing Level2
Start/Stop Date2015-Aug-19 to 2016-Aug-19
Short NameRSCAT_LEVEL_2B_OWV_COMP_12_V1.2
DescriptionThis dataset contains the RapidScat Level 2B 12.5km Version 1.2 science-quality ocean surface wind vectors, which are intended as a replacement and continuation of the Version 1.1 data forward from orbital revolution number 5127, corresponding to 19 August 2015; the overlapping time period starting on 19 August 2015 corresponds to the first time period of the recorded low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The Level 2B wind vectors are binned on a 12.5 km Wind Vector Cell (WVC) grid and processed using the Level 2A Sigma-0 dataset. RapidScat is a Ku-band dual beam circular rotating scatterometer retaining much of the same hardware and functionality of QuikSCAT, with exception of the antenna sub-system and digital interface to the International Space Station (ISS) Columbus module, which is where RapidScat is mounted. The NASA mission is officially referred to as ISS-RapidScat. Unlike QuikSCAT, ISS-RapidScat is not in sun-synchronous orbit, and flies at roughly half the altitude with a low inclination angle that restricts data coverage to the tropics and mid-latitude regions; the extent of latitudinal coverage stretches from approximately 61 degrees North to 61 degrees South. Furthermore, there is no consistent local time of day retrieval. This dataset is provided in a netCDF-3 file format that follows the netCDF-4 classic model (i.e., generated by the netCDF-4 API) and made available via FTP and OPeNDAP. For data access, please click on the "Data Access" tab above. This Version 1.2 dataset differs from the previous Version 1.1 dataset as follows: 1) L1B sigma-0 has been re-calibrated during the periods of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and 2) during low SNR periods the L1B sigma-0 calibration is determined using re-pointed L1B QuikSCAT data. It is advised for users to avoid using the "wind_obj" variable in this dataset since it is minimally applicable and meant primarily for quality assurance; for users who wish to access the objective function values for each ambiguity, it is suggested to use only the "ambiguity_obj" variable. The "wind_obj" variable contains DIRTH probabilities (which are derived form the "ambiguity_obj" objective function values) in the range of 0 to 1 indicating the conditional probability that the true direction is within + or - 2.5 degrees of the retrieved wind direction given the observed backscatter measurements in the cell. If you have any questions or concerns, please visit our Forum at https://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/forum/.
DOI10.5067/RSX12-L2B12
MeasurementOCEANS > OCEAN WINDS > SURFACE WINDS
Swath Width900 km
Platform/Sensor
ISS
Platform
Name: International Space Station (ISS)
Orbit Period: 92.91 minutes
Inclination Angle: 51.65 degrees
/
RapidScat
SENSOR
Name: Rapid Scatterometer (RapidScat)
Swath Width: 1100.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

ProjectInternational Space Station Rapid Scatterometer (ISS_RapidScat)
Data ProviderPublisher: PO.DAAC
Creator: RapidScat Project
Release Place: PO.DAAC
Release Date: 2016-Apr-18
Resource: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/fact_sheets/issrapidscat_factsheet.pdf

FormatnetCDF-4
Keyword(s)international space station, space station, iss, rapidscat, rscat, iss-rapidscat, winds, wind, ocean, ocean wind, ocean winds, ocean surface wind vectors, surface wind vectors, wind speed, wind direction, scatterometer, quikscat, seawinds, l2b, l2, level 2, level 2b, version 1, v1, version 1.2, v1.2, V1.2, 1.2
Questions related to this dataset? Contact podaac@podaac.jpl.nasa.gov
Resolution
Spatial Resolution: 12.5 Kilometers x 12.5 Kilometers
Temporal Resolution: 12 Hour
 
Coverage
Region: GLOBAL
North Bounding Coordinate: 61 degrees
South Bounding Coordinate: -61 degrees
West Bounding Coordinate: -180 degrees
East Bounding Coordinate: 180 degrees
Time Span: 2015-Aug-19 to 2016-Aug-19
Granule Time Span: 2015-Aug-19 to 2016-Aug-19
Swath Width: 900 km
 
Projection
Projection Type: Swath
Projection Detail: Along-track Grid
Ellipsoid: WGS 84
 
NameLong NameUnit
ambiguity_directionwind direction ambiguitydegrees
ambiguity_objwind objective function values1
ambiguity_speedwind speed ambiguitym s-1
atmospheric_speed_biasatmospheric speed biasm s-1
cross_track_wind_speed_biasrelative wind speed bias with respect to sweet spotm s-1
eflagsextended wind vector cell quality flagsbit
flagswind vector cell quality flagsbit
latlatitudedegrees_north
lonlongitudedegrees_east
nudge_wind_directionmodel wind directiondegrees
nudge_wind_speedmodel wind speedm s-1
num_ambiguitiesnumber of ambiguous wind directions found in point-wise wind retrieval prior to spatial filtering1
number_in_aftnumber of inner aft looks in wind vector cell1
number_in_forenumber of inner forward looks in wind vector cell1
number_out_aftnumber of outer aft looks in wind vector cell1
number_out_forenumber of outer forward looks in wind vector cell1
rain_impactimpact of rain upon wind vector retrieval1
retrieved_wind_directionequivalent neutral wind direction at 10 mdegrees
retrieved_wind_speedequivalent neutral wind speed at 10 mm s-1
retrieved_wind_speed_uncorrectedwind speed without rain correctionm s-1
timedate and timeseconds since 1999-1-1 0:0:0
wind_objretrieved wind objective function value1
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DATA CITATION POLICY
Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. Please cite the data as follows, and cite the reference papers when it is appropriate.
Citation RapidScat Project. 2016. RapidScat Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 1.2. Ver. 1.2. PO.DAAC, CA, USA. Dataset accessed [YYYY-MM-DD] at https://doi.org/10.5067/RSX12-L2B12

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For more information see Data Citations and Acknowledgments.
Journal Reference Fore, A.G., Stiles, B.W., Chau, A.H., Williams, B.A., Dunbar, R. S., Rodriguez E., 2013: Point-wise Wind Retrieval and Ambiguity Removal Improvements for the QuikSCAT Climatological Data Set. IEEE Trans. Geoscience and Remote Sensing, doi:10.1109/TGRS.2012.2235843. [Special Note: This paper describes the wind retrieval algorithm used to process the QuikSCAT version 3 wind product. The RapidScat data was processed using the same technique.]

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