JPL SMAP Level 3 CAP Sea Surface Salinity Standard Mapped Image Monthly V5.0 Validated Dataset

(SMAP_JPL_L3_SSS_CAP_MONTHLY_V5)
3 Publications Cited this Dataset
Citation metrics available for years (2014-2022)
Version5.0
Processing Level3
Start/Stop Date2015-Apr-01 to Present
Short NameSMAP_JPL_L3_SSS_CAP_MONTHLY_V5
DescriptionThis is the PI-produced JPL SMAP-SSS V5.0 CAP, level 3, monthly mapped sea surface salinity (SSS) product from the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) observatory. It is based on the Combined Active-Passive (CAP) retrieval algorithm developed at JPL originally in the context of Aquarius/SAC-D and now extended to SMAP. JPL SMAP V5.0 SSS is based on the newly released SMAP V5 Level-1 Brightness Temperatures (TB). An enhanced calibration methodology has been applied to the brightness temperatures, which improves absolute radiometric calibration and reduces the biases between ascending and descending passes. The improved SMAP TB Level 1 TB will enhance the use of SMAP Level-1 data for other applications, such as sea surface salinity and winds. L3 monthly product file variables include: derived SSS with associated uncertainties and wind speed from SMAP and ancillary surface salinity from HYCOM. SMAP data begins on April 1, 2015 and is ongoing, with a 1 month latency in processing and availability. L3 products are global in extent and gridded at 0.25degree x 0.25degree with an approximate spatial resolution of 60km. The SMAP satellite is in a near-polar orbit at an inclination of 98 degrees and an altitude of 685 km. It has an ascending node time of 6 pm and is sun-synchronous. With its 1000km swath, SMAP achieves global coverage in approximately 3 days, but has an exact orbit repeat cycle of 8 days. On board instruments include a highly sensitive L-band radiometer operating at 1.41GHz and an L-band 1.26GHz radar sensor providing complementary active and passive sensing capabilities. Malfunction of the SMAP scatterometer on 7 July for the surface roughness correction required for the surface salinity retrieval.
DOI10.5067/SMP50-3TMCS
MeasurementOCEANS > OCEAN WINDS > SURFACE WINDS
OCEANS > SALINITY/DENSITY > SALINITY
Platform/Sensor
SMAP
Platform
Name: NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) (SMAP)
Orbit Period: 98.5 minutes
Inclination Angle: 98.0 degrees
/
SMAP L-BAND RADIOMETER
SENSOR
Name: SMAP L-Band Radiometer (SMAP L-BAND RADIOMETER)
Swath Width: 1000.0 kilometers
Description: Spacecraft angular distance from orbital plane relative to the Equator.

ProjectSoil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP)
Data ProviderPublisher: JPL
Creator: JPL
Release Place: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA91109, USA
Release Date: 2020-Dec-11
Resource: http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/smap

FormatnetCDF-4
Keyword(s)JPLSMAPSSSV50, L3, Level 3, monthly, SMAP, SMAP-SSS, Soil Moisture Active, Passive, salinity, polar, sun-synchronous, sss, sea surface, salinity, psu, NASA, project, mission, JPL, CAP, combined active/passive
Questions related to this dataset? Contact podaac@podaac.jpl.nasa.gov
Resolution
Spatial Resolution: 0.6 Decimal Degrees x 0.6 Decimal Degrees
Temporal Resolution: Monthly - < Annual
 
Coverage
Region: GLOBAL
North Bounding Coordinate: 90 degrees
South Bounding Coordinate: -90 degrees
West Bounding Coordinate: -180 degrees
East Bounding Coordinate: 180 degrees
Time Span: 2015-Apr-01 to Present
Granule Time Span: 2015-Apr-01 to 2024-Jan-01
 
Projection
Projection Type: Gridded
Ellipsoid: WGS 84
 
NameLong NameUnit
anc_sssHYCOM sea surface salinity1e-3
anc_sstSea surface temperatureK
ice_fractionAverage ice fraction
land_fractionAverage land fraction
latitudelatitude of grid celldegrees_north
longitudelongitude of grid celldegrees_east
smap_high_spdSMAP 10 m wind speed (using ancillary SSS)m s-1
smap_spdSMAP 10 m wind speedm s-1
smap_sssSMAP sea surface salinity1e-3
smap_sss_uncertaintySMAP SSS uncertainty1e-3
timeReference time of sss fieldseconds since 2015-1-1 00:00:00 UTC
weightSum of Gaussian weighting factors
DATA RECIPE
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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 JPL. 2020. JPL CAP SMAP Sea Surface Salinity Products. Ver. 5.0. PO.DAAC, CA, USA. Dataset accessed [YYYY-MM-DD] at https://doi.org/10.5067/SMP50-3TMCS

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For more information see Data Citations and Acknowledgments.

Journal Reference Fore,A.G, S.H. Yueh, W. Tang, B.W. Stiles, and A.K. Hayashi (2016). Combined Active/Passive Retrievals of Ocean Vector Wind and Sea Surface Salinity With SMAP. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING, VOL. 54, NO. 12. p.7396-7404. DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2016.2601486

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