The PO.DAAC is pleased to announce the "Preview" release of the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) near-real-time (NRT) Level-2 (swath-based) ocean wind vector product produced by the KNMI/EUMETSAT Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSI SAF). This product consists of two datasets: one with a spatial resolution of 12.5 km, the other 25 km. The data record begins on 1 September 2009 and continues through present day, updated every 2-3 hours. In the near future, we will provide the complete archive back to February 2007. Both datasets are available in a CF-compliant NetCDF file format, using similar metadata conventions found in QuikSCAT L2B datasets.

ASCAT is a real aperture radar operating at 5.255 GHz (C-band) and using vertically polarized antennas in a dual fan beam configuration providing 70% global coverage each day over the ice free oceans. It is flown on the EUMETSAT MetOp-A satellite. The prime objective of ASCAT is to measure wind speed and direction over the oceans. In addition, scatterometer data have proved to be very useful in a variety of studies including polar ice and soil moisture.

The ASCAT datasets are being distributed as "Preview". This means that although significant validation efforts have been made by KNMI/EUMETSAT, the data continue to undergo scientific evaluation and may receive periodic adjustments and updates accordingly. As part of the data evaluation phase, all ASCAT data users are encouraged to provide feedback. Read software is only available in IDL, but efforts are underway to make read software available in C and Fortran 77.

If you wish to access and read more about the ASCAT datasets, please visit our ASCAT web portal: http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/DATA_CATALOG/ascatinfo.html

Should you have any questions or wish to provide feedback on the ASCAT datasets, please contact us at: podaac@podaac.jpl.nasa.gov


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