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Description

This dataset contains ocean surface wind vectors (equivalent neutral and true 10m) and wind stress vectors derived from satellite-based scatterometer observations aboard QuikScat, representing the first science quality release of these data (post-provisional after v1.0) funded under the MEaAUREs program. This product from QuikScat has been intercalibrated with similar scatterometer measurements from instruments on the MetOp-A, MetOp-B, and ScatSat-1 satellites (all of which can be found on the MEaSUREs OSVW Project Page), and if used together create an unbroken record of winds from 1999 to 2022. The wind vector and stress retrievals are provided on a non-uniform grid within the swath (Level 2 (L2) products) at 12.5 km pixel resolution. Each L2 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.
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The dataset represents the first science quality release funded under 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) increased data coverage, 2) improved quality control, and 3) new global metadata attributes featuring revolution number, equator crossing longitude, and equator crossing time (UTC). The primary purpose of this release is for science evaluation by the NASA International Ocean Vector Winds Science Team (IOVWST).

Product Summary

Platforms
QUIKSCAT
Instruments
SEAWINDS
Spatial Extent

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

Spatial Resolution
12.5 Kilometers x 12.5 Kilometers
Geographic Region
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
GEODETIC
Granule Spatial Representation
CARTESIAN
Temporal Extent
1999-10-27 to 2009-11-22
Data Partner
Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA (NASA/JPL/PODAAC)
Concept ID
C2706518612-POCLOUD
Data State
COMPLETE
Number of Files/Granules
51974
Processing Level
2
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Surface Winds ,
Wind Stress ,
Wind Stress ,
WIND VELOCITY/SPEED

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

NASA/JPL. (2025). QuikSCAT Scatterometer Inter-Calibrated ESDR Level 2 Ocean Surface Equivalent Neutral Wind Vectors and Wind Stress Version 1.1 [Data set]. NASA Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/ESDQS-L2W11 Date Accessed: 2025-12-14

Documents

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
cross_track_wind_speed_bias relative wind speed bias with respect to sweet spot m s-1 float -9999 -50 to 50 1
distance_from_coast Wind retrieval distance from the coastline closest to the retrieval. km float -99999 -25000 to 25000 1
en_wind_direction equivalent neutral wind direction clockwise from North following oceanographic convention degrees float -9999 0 to 360 1
en_wind_direction_error equivalent neutral wind direction uncertainty degrees float -9999 0 to 50 1
en_wind_direction_uncorrected uncorrected equivalent neutral wind direction clockwise from North following oceanographic convention degrees float -9999 0 to 360 1
en_wind_speed retrieved equivalent neutral wind speed m s-1 float -9999 0 to 100 1
en_wind_speed_error equivalent neutral wind speed uncertainty m s-1 float -9999 0 to 50 1
en_wind_speed_uncorrected retrieved equivalent neutral wind speed without rain corrections m s-1 float -9999 0 to 100 1
en_wind_u retrieved equivalent neutral eastward wind speed component vector m s-1 float -9999 -100 to 100 1
en_wind_u_error equivalent neutral eastward wind speed component vector uncertainty m s-1 float -9999 0 to 50 1
en_wind_v retrieved equivalent neutral northward wind speed component vector m s-1 float -9999 -100 to 100 1
en_wind_v_error equivalent neutral northward wind speed component vector uncertainty m s-1 float -9999 0 to 50 1
flags quality flags bit int -1 0 to 526352355 1
gmf_sst Sea Surface Temperature from NCAR Optimum Interpolation V2 product used during wind retrieval Degrees Celsius float -9999 -4 to 40 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 clockwise from North following oceanographic convention degrees float -9999 0 to 360 1
nudge_wind_speed NCEP wind speed m s-1 float -9999 0 to 100 1
quality_indicator quality indicator for wind retrieval -1 short -1 0 to 5 1
rain_speed_bias atmospheric rain induced wind speed bias m s-1 float -9999 -50 to 50 1
real_wind_direction non-neutral wind direction clockwise from North following oceanographic convention degrees float -9999 0 to 360 1
real_wind_direction_error non-neutral wind direction uncertainty degrees float -9999 0 to 50 1
real_wind_speed retrieved non-neutral 10m wind speed m s-1 float -9999 0 to 100 1
real_wind_speed_error non-neutral wind speed uncertainty m s-1 float -9999 0 to 50 1
real_wind_u retrieved non-neutral eastward wind speed component vector m s-1 float -9999 -100 to 100 1
real_wind_u_error non-neutral eastward wind speed component vector uncertainty m s-1 float -9999 0 to 50 1
real_wind_v retrieved non-neutral northward wind speed component vector m s-1 float -9999 -100 to 100 1
real_wind_v_error non-neutral northward wind speed component vector uncertainty m s-1 float -9999 0 to 50 1
time date and time seconds since 1999-01-01 00:00:00 double N/A N/A 1
wind_stress_direction estimated ocean surface wind stress direction direction clockwise from North following oceanographic convention degrees float -9999 0 to 360 1
wind_stress_magnitude estimated ocean surface wind stress magnitude N m-2 float -9999 0 to 15 1
wind_stress_magnitude_error ocean surface wind stress magnitude uncertainty N m-2 float -9999 0 to 1 1
wind_stress_u estimated ocean surface wind stress eastward component vector N m-2 float -9999 -20 to 20 1
wind_stress_u_error ocean surface wind stress eastward component vector uncertainty N m-2 float -9999 0 to 1 1
wind_stress_v estimated ocean surface wind stress northward component vector N m-2 float -9999 -20 to 20 1
wind_stress_v_error ocean surface wind stress northward component vector uncertainty N m-2 float -9999 0 to 1 1
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