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Description

This dataset contains the curl and divergence of ocean surface equivalent neutral wind and wind stress, derived from satellite-based scatterometer observations aboard QuikScat, representing the first science quality release of these data funded under the MEaSUREs program. This product from QuikScat has been intercalibrated with similar scatterometer measurements from instruments on the MetOp-A, MetOp-B ASCAT, and ScatSat-1 satellites, all of which can be found on the MEaSUREs OSVW Project Page. These Level 2 data are provided on a non-uniform grid within the satellite swath 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 preview shows data for all orbits over a day (typically 14 orbits). Estimates for the curls and divergences are computed over several spatial domains with varying radii from the point of interest, and included as separate variables.
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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. The primary purpose of this release is for science evaluation by the NASA International Ocean Vector Winds Science Team (IOVWST). This V1.0 of the data was derived from V1.1 of the L2 wind and stress product.

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
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
1999-10-27 to 2009-11-23
Data Partner
Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA (NASA/JPL/PODAAC)
Concept ID
C3401812448-POCLOUD
Data State
COMPLETE
Number of Files/Granules
51974
Processing Level
2
Science Keywords
Convergence/Divergence ,
Vorticity

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 Inter-Calibrated ESDR Level 2 Observed and Modeled Spatial Derivatives of Surface Wind and Wind Stress Version 1.0 [Data set]. NASA Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/ESDQS-L2WD10 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
en_wind_curl_res12 Winds used are Equivalent Neutral calibrated to the 10 meter reference height s-1 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
en_wind_curl_res25 Winds used are Equivalent Neutral calibrated to the 10 meter reference height s-1 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
en_wind_curl_res50 Winds used are Equivalent Neutral calibrated to the 10 meter reference height s-1 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
en_wind_curl_res75 Winds used are Equivalent Neutral calibrated to the 10 meter reference height s-1 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
en_wind_divergence_res12 Winds used are Equivalent Neutral calibrated to the 10 meter reference height s-1 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
en_wind_divergence_res25 Winds used are Equivalent Neutral calibrated to the 10 meter reference height s-1 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
en_wind_divergence_res50 Winds used are Equivalent Neutral calibrated to the 10 meter reference height s-1 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
en_wind_divergence_res75 Winds used are Equivalent Neutral calibrated to the 10 meter reference height s-1 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
lat_res12 derivative latitude over approximate 12.5 km diameter region degrees_north float N/A -90 to 90 1
lat_res25 derivative latitude over approximate 25 km diameter region degrees_north float N/A -90 to 90 1
lat_res50 derivative latitude over approximate 50 km diameter region degrees_north float N/A -90 to 90 1
lat_res75 derivative latitude over approximate 75 km diameter region degrees_north float N/A -90 to 90 1
lon_res12 derivative longitude over approximate 12.5 km diameter region degrees_east float N/A 0 to 360 1
lon_res25 derivative longitude over approximate 25 km diameter region degrees_east float N/A 0 to 360 1
lon_res50 derivative longitude over approximate 50 km diameter region degrees_east float N/A 0 to 360 1
lon_res75 derivative longitude over approximate 75 km diameter region degrees_east float N/A 0 to 360 1
stress_curl_res12 Wind stress magnitude used is computed from the Equivalent Neutral wind speed using the bulk parameterization from de Kloe et al. 2017 N m-3 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
stress_curl_res25 Wind stress magnitude used is computed from the Equivalent Neutral wind speed using the bulk parameterization from de Kloe et al. 2017 N m-3 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
stress_curl_res50 Wind stress magnitude used is computed from the Equivalent Neutral wind speed using the bulk parameterization from de Kloe et al. 2017 N m-3 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
stress_curl_res75 Wind stress magnitude used is computed from the Equivalent Neutral wind speed using the bulk parameterization from de Kloe et al. 2017 N m-3 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
stress_divergence_res12 Wind stress magnitude used is computed from the Equivalent Neutral wind speed using the bulk parameterization from de Kloe et al. 2017 N m-3 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
stress_divergence_res25 Wind stress magnitude used is computed from the Equivalent Neutral wind speed using the bulk parameterization from de Kloe et al. 2017 N m-3 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
stress_divergence_res50 Wind stress magnitude used is computed from the Equivalent Neutral wind speed using the bulk parameterization from de Kloe et al. 2017 N m-3 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
stress_divergence_res75 Wind stress magnitude used is computed from the Equivalent Neutral wind speed using the bulk parameterization from de Kloe et al. 2017 N m-3 float -9999 -1 to 1 1
time date and time seconds since 1999-01-01 double N/A N/A 1
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