The PO.DAAC is pleased to announce the public release of the science data
records containing RapidScat’s Normalized Radar Cross Section data
(also known as “sigma-0” or “sigma-naught”) for
processing levels 1B and 2A (at 25 km and 12.5 km resolutions). All three of
these datasets are provided in the legacy HDF-4 format consistent with the
QuikSCAT science data records.
Data access and more detailed information on these datasets may be obtained
at each of the respective dataset information pages:
- http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/dataset/RSCAT_L1B_V1.1
- http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/dataset/RSCAT_L2A_25KM_V1.1
- http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/dataset/RSCAT_L2A_12KM_V1.1
The Level 1B data record contains the time ordered and geo-located sigma-0
measurements along with the antenna pulse "egg" and
"slice" geometries as derived from ephemeris and the Level 1A
dataset.
The 25 km L2A dataset provides surface-flagged sigma-0 in 25 km Wind Vector
Cells processed using the pulse “egg” sigma-0 data provided by
the L1B dataset while the 12.5 km L2A dataset provides surface-flagged
sigma-0 processed using the L1B pulse “slice” data.
More information on these datasets may be obtained from the links above.
A comprehensive history of known instrument and data issues and the current
status of the RapidScat mission is provided by NOAA/NESDIS: