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Description

This dataset consists of the version 2 Level 2B science-quality ocean surface wind vector retrievals from the Oceansat-2 scatterometer (OSCAT), which was designed and launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) 23 September 2009. This Level 2B dataset is produced by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) QuikSCAT Project in cooperation with ISRO. The retrievals are provided on a non-uniform grid within the swath at 12.5 km pixel resolution. This resolution is achieved through a slice composite technique in which high resolution slice measurements from L1B data are composited into a 12.5 km wind vector cell. This newest version contains an improved geophysical model function (GMF), known as QSCAT12, consistent with the Remote Sensing Systems Ku2011 GMF, and an improved rain detection and flagging algorithm; these algorithms are consistent with the latest reprocessed version 3 QuikSCAT L2B dataset. Each L2B file corresponds to a specific orbital revolution (rev) number, which begins at the southernmost point of the ascending orbit. As a Ku-band dual pencil-beam rotating scatterometer, OSCAT design specs bear a strong resemblence of the Ku-band SeaWinds scatterometers on QuikSCAT and Midori-II (ADEOS-II). The primary difference between OSCAT and SeaWinds is the ~4 degree increase in the OSCAT incidence angle, which acts as an offset to the relatively lower altitude of Oceansat-2 to help provide a nearly identical swath width to SeaWinds. In the early phase of cal/val, the JPL QuikSCAT Project identified several problems, most of which have been corrected in this latest L2B version. This dataset release is expected to have an accuracy similar to that of the version 3 L2B QuikSCAT product, with minor caveats, all of which are described by Jaruwatanadilok et al. (2014) and summarized in the User Guide document which is made available in PO.DAAC Drive at https://podaac-tools.jpl.nasa.gov/drive/files/allData/oceansat2/L2B/oscat/jpl/docs/ . Read software is made available in MATLAB, Python, R, and IDL and is accessible in PO.DAAC Drive at https://podaac-tools.jpl.nasa.gov/drive/files/allData/oceansat2/L2B/oscat/jpl/sw/ .

Product Summary

Platforms
IRS-O2
Instruments
OSCAT
Spatial Extent

N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: 0

,

N: 90 S: -90 E: 0 W: -180

Spatial Resolution
12500 Meters x 12500 Meters
Geographic Region
GLOBAL OCEAN
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
CARTESIAN
Temporal Extent
2010-01-16 to 2014-02-20
Data Partner
Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA (NASA/JPL/PODAAC) ,
QUIKSCAT, JET PROPULSION LABORATORY, NASA (NASA/JPL/QUIKSCAT)
Concept ID
C2036882482-POCLOUD
Data State
COMPLETE
Number of Files/Granules
18907
Processing Level
2
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Surface Winds

Citation

Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.

Copy Citation

SeaPAC. (2013). Oceansat-2 Scatterometer Level 2B Ocean Wind Vectors in 12.5km Slice Composites Version 2 [Data set]. NASA Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/OSCT2-L2BV2 Date Accessed: 2025-12-16

Documents

USER'S GUIDE

DATA CITATION GUIDELINES

Variables

Variables are a set of physical properties whose values determine the characteristics or behavior of something. For example, temperature and pressure are variables of the atmosphere. Parameters and variables can be used interchangeably. Variable level attributes provide individual information for each variable.

The Name in this table is the variable name. Fill value indicates missing or undefined data points in a variable. Valid range is the range of values the variable can store. Scale factor is used to increase or decrease the size of an object and can be used to correct for distortion. For questions on a specific variable, please use the Earthdata Forum.

Name Description Units Data Type Fill Value Valid Range Scale Factor
atmospheric_speed_bias atmospheric speed bias m s-1 float -9999 -100 to 100 1
cross_track_wind_speed_bias relative wind speed bias with respect to sweet spot m s-1 float -9999 -100 to 100 1
eflags extended wind vector cell quality flags bit short 32767 0 to 15 1
flags wind vector cell quality flags bit short 32767 0 to 32643 1
lat latitude degrees_north float N/A -90 to 90 1
lon longitude degrees_east float N/A 0 to 360 1
nudge_wind_direction model wind direction degrees float -9999 0 to 360 1
nudge_wind_speed model wind speed m s-1 float -9999 0 to 100 1
num_ambiguities number of ambiguous wind directions found in point-wise wind retrieval prior to spatial filtering 1 byte 0 1 to 4 1
rain_impact impact of rain upon wind vector retrieval 1 float -9999 0 to 100 1
retrieved_wind_direction equivalent neutral wind direction at 10 m degrees float -9999 0 to 360 1
retrieved_wind_speed equivalent neutral wind speed at 10 m m s-1 float -9999 0 to 100 1
time date and time seconds since 1999-1-1 0:0:0 double N/A N/A 1
wind_speed_uncorrected wind speed without rain correction m s-1 float -9999 0 to 100 1
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