Source/sensor: DMSP F-8 SSM/I

Coverage: August 1987-December 1988, global

Abstract: This product consists of wind speeds calculated over water areas (plus coastal, sea ice, and possible sea ice areas) using the algorithms developed by F. Wentz (Remote Sensing Systems 1989, 1992). The data were derived from the SSM/I (Special Sensor Microwave Imager) instrument on the DMSP F-8 (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program) satellite and were produced by the Marshall Space Flight Center. The product consists of one degree by one degree global gridded data and cover the time period 1987-08-01 to 1988-12-31. Within this product data consists of 5-day averages and monthly averaged data. PODAAC Product 054 contains the same data only in swath format. Wentz cautions that wind speed values over fresh water lakes are suspect as are values within 50-100 km of the coast; these values have not been flagged. Values over coastal, possible sea ice, and sea ice areas are flagged because of the questionable validity of the algorithm over these areas. For locations or pixels where the algorithm did not converge, marine wind speed values are not calculated. Cloud/rain liquid water values exceeding 18 mg/cm2 indicate the presence of rain; marine wind speeds are flagged because the accuracy of the wind speed estimate quickly degrade above this value and the algorithm developer recommends these wind speeds not be used. In Revision 1 of the geophysical tapes user's manual, Wentz includes a correction for the cloud/rain liquid water; this correction has been applied to the Pathfinder data. The corrected value of 18 mg/cm2 corresponds to the value of 25 mg/cm2 shown in the 1989 version of the user manual. The data are in HDF. Browse products are included and are available via anonymous FTP to podaa.jpl.nasa.gov in the pub/ocean_wind/ssmi/msfc_ssmi/level3 directory.

Data Set Vol: 30.7 MB

Smallest order: Entire data set or portion depending upon method of access.

Standard product: HDF data via FTP.

Data/Media Formats:Data are in HDF format. They are available on 8mm tape in LINUX tar or via FTP from ftp podaac.jpl.nasa.gov in the pub/ocean_wind/ssmi/msfc_pathfinder/level3 directory.