See Also
NOAA/NASA Polar Pathfinder Data
This product page contains tools for ordering and working with SMM/I data, information regarding the availability of data products, how to obtain guide documentation, FAQs, and other related information.
Related Resources
SSMI/S Instrument Aboard DMSP16
This NOAA Web page provides details for the SSMIS instrument.
NASA: DMSP 5D-3/F16
This Web page provides details for the F16 satellite.
SSM/I and SSMI/S Monitoring and Documentation
NOAA's National Climatic Data Center's (NCDC) Web site for the SSMI and SSMIS instruments.
DAAC Data Projects: Passive Microwave
SMMIS
The first of five Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) instruments was launched aboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F16 satellite on 18 October 2003 and became operational in November 2005 as part of the NASA Polar Pathfinder Program. The SSMIS instrument is a conically-scanning passive microwave radiometer with a 53.1 degree Earth incidence angle and 24 channels covering a wide range of frequencies from 19 to 183 GHz. Spatial resolution of the individual measurements varies from 12.5 km to 75 km.
The SSMIS improves upon the imaging and sounding capabilities of the DMSP-heritage passive microwave sensors by providing lower atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles with greatly enhanced spatial resolution, and twelve additional surface-related environmental parameters including sea-surface wind speed, rain rates, and temperature profiles of the upper atmosphere.
NSIDC currently distributes near-real-time SSMIS data, and anticipates archival and distribution of time series SSMIS data in the near future. In the meantime, please refer to the following SSM/I-SSMIS data sets:
Near-Real-Time DMSP SSM/I-SSMIS Daily Polar Gridded Sea Ice Concentrations
Near-Real-Time DMSP SSM/I-SSMIS Daily Polar Gridded Brightness Temperatures
Near-Real-Time DMSP SSM/I-SSMIS Pathfinder Daily EASE-Grid Brightness Temperatures
