MetOp-B ASCAT ESDR Level 2 Ancillary Ocean Surface Fields Version 1.1

This dataset contains model output interpolated in space and time to observations from the MetOp-B ASCAT (ASCAT-B) instrument (a satellite-based scatterometer), representing the first science quality release of these data (post-provisional after v1.0) funded under the MEaAUREs program. These auxiliary fields are included to complement those scatterometer observations, specifically for the ASCATB_ESDR_L2_WIND_STRESS_V1.1 dataset. Model variables include: i) ocean surface wind fields from ERA-5 short-term forecast (removed from the analyses times to reduce impacts from assimilated scatterometer retrievals at the beginning of the forecast); ii) estimations of precipitation from the GPM IMERG product; iii) estimation of the surface currents from the GlobCurrent project. The fields are provided on a non-uniform grid within the sampled locations of the ASCAT-B Level 2 product, and at a nominal 12.5 km pixel resolution. Each file corresponds to a specific orbital revolution number, which begins at the southernmost point of the ascending orbit. The thumbnail shows data for two orbits - using all orbits for a single day will provide global coverage.

The dataset represents the first science quality release of this product with funding from the MEaSUREs (Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments) program. Version 1.1 provides a set of updates and improvements from version 1.0, including: 1) cleaned up ancillary data points in between the left/right swaths for improved collocation with available satellite data, 2) improved variable metadata, 3) removed the GlobCurrent stokes drift variables, and 4) provided data source metadata including DOIs for the ERA-5, IMERGE, and GlobCurrent data sources. The primary purpose of this Version 1.1 release is for science evaluation by the NASA International Ocean Vector Winds Science Team (IOVWST).