RapidScat Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 1.3
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DOI10.5067/RSX12-L2B13
Short NameRSCAT_LEVEL_2B_OWV_COMP_12_V1.3
DescriptionThis dataset contains the RapidScat Level 2B 12.5km Version 1.3 science-quality ocean surface wind vectors, which are intended as a replacement and continuation of the Version 1.1 and 1.2 data forward from orbital revolution number 7873, corresponding to 11 February 2016; on 11 Feb 2016, RapidScat entered it's 3rd low signal to noise ratio (SNR) state and the initial calibration of low SNR 3 was preliminary during the Version 1.2 release. The fundamental difference between Version 1.3 and the previous Version 1.2 datasets is that the L1B sigma-0 has been re-calibrated during the periods of low SNR states 3 and 4 using re-pointed QuikSCAT data. The Version 1.1 should still be considered valid up to the first rev of version 1.2 (5127), and similarly version 1.2 shall be considered valid up to the first rev of version 1.3 (7873). 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. 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/.
Version1.3
Dataset TypeCOMPLETE
MeasurementOCEANS > OCEAN WINDS > SURFACE WINDS
Processing Level2
CoverageRegion: GLOBAL
North Bounding Coordinate: 61 degrees
South Bounding Coordinate: -61 degrees
West Bounding Coordinate: -180 degrees
East Bounding Coordinate: 180 degrees
Time Span: 2016-Feb-11 to 2016-Aug-19
Granule Time Span: 2016-Feb-11 to 2016-Aug-19
ResolutionSpatial Resolution: 12.5 km (Along) x 12.5 km (Across)
ProjectionProjection Type: Swath
Projection Detail: Along-track Grid
Ellipsoid: WGS 84
Swath Width900 km
Platform/Sensor
ISS
Platform
Name: International Space Station (ISS)
Orbit Period: 92.91 minutes
Inclination Angle: 51.65 degrees
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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-Oct-28
Resource: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/fact_sheets/issrapidscat_factsheet.pdf

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 1.3, v1.3, V1.3, 1.3
Questions related to this dataset? Contact podaac@podaac.jpl.nasa.gov
GENERAL DOCUMENTATION
ANOMALIES
USER'S GUIDE
DATA CITATION POLICY
Citation RapidScat Project. 2016. RapidScat Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 1.3. Ver. 1.3. PO.DAAC, CA, USA. Dataset accessed [YYYY-MM-DD] at https://doi.org/10.5067/RSX12-L2B13

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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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VersionDatasetVersion DateStatus
1.3RapidScat Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 1.32016-09-30ACTIVE1475197871123
1.2RapidScat Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 1.22016-04-18ACTIVE1461014996140
1.1RapidScat Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 1.12015-04-15ACTIVE1429086843815
1.0RapidScat Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 1.02014-12-02RETIRED1417552958063