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This Web page contains current and past AMSR-E data news. The news is divided up by year. Use the tool bar below to navigate around this Web page.


2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

2012

15 November 2012

Reprocessing of AMSR-E Sea Ice Products

NSIDC has been notified of an error in AMSR-E sea ice data products that caused valid data in the Southern Hemisphere to be obscured by a land mask. The products and algorithms affected by this error are:

AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Tb, Sea Ice Concentration, and Snow Depth Polar Grids, V14
AMSR-E/AQUA Daily L3 25 km Tb, Sea Ice Temperature, & Sea Ice Conc. Polar Grids, V14
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 6.25 km Sea Ice Drift Polar Grids, B03

During the recent V14 algorithm processing, an improved land mask for Antarctica was incorrectly implemented in the AMSR-E 12.5 km and 25 km sea ice products, which caused portions of valid data to be masked between approximately 65° W longitude and 68° E longitude. The AMSR-E sea ice drift product was also affected by this error since the 12.5 km sea ice data are used as an input.

Both the 12.5 km and 25 km sea ice products with the V14 algorithm have been replaced with data using the V12 and V13 algorithm. The sea ice drift data with the B03 algorithm have been replaced with data using the B01 algorithm. In the meantime, the error is being corrected in the V14 algorithm code, and all data will be reprocessed. We will notify registered data users when reprocessing begins. Please contact NSIDC User Services with inquiries regarding these products.

 

12 September 2012

AMSR-E Sea Ice Products Updated

Updates are complete for following AMSR-E data products:
AMSR-E/AQUA Daily L3 6.25 km 89GHz Brightness Temperature Polar Grids
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Tb, Sea Ice Concentration, and Snow Depth Polar Grids
AMSR-E/AQUA Daily L3 25 km Tb, Sea Ice Temperature, & Sea Ice Conc. Polar Grids
Algorithm updated to: Validated 14 – Stage 1
Summary of updates: Includes an improved land mask for Antarctica, created from a National Ice Center (NIC) landmask shapefile. The NIC shapefile is the newest ice shelf definition, completed by NIC Science Department in June 2011. The shoreline was developed from ENVISAT and RADARSAT imagery from October 2009 until April 2010.

AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 100 km Sea Ice Drift Polar Grids
Algorithm updated to: Beta 03
Summary of updates: Includes browse imagery. Reprocessing will span entire AMSR-E mission. Users should note that the Beta 02 algorithm was not publicly released.

Reprocessing from the beginning of the mission onward is currently underway for these products. We will notify registered users when reprocessing is complete. Please contact NSIDC User Services with inquiries regarding these products.

 

21 August 2012

Reprocessing Complete for AMSR-E/Aqua L1A Data

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has completed reprocessing of the AMSR-E/Aqua L1A Raw Observation Counts data set to Version 3. These Version 3 data are now available from the beginning of the AMSR-E mission through 04 October 2011, when the AMSR-E sensor stopped operating. The new version includes improved geometric accuracy and a switch to a new HDF version, from 4.2r1 to 4.2r4.

Also included with Version 3 are an additional 18 days of data spanning 01 June 2002 through 18 June 2002, which were previously unavailable. An assessment of these data collected during the initial AMSR-E evaluation period indicated that the quality of the observations is high enough to release to AMSR-E data users. Since it contains the most up-to-date algorithm available, we recommend working with Version 3 data set. For information and ordering options, see the product catalog page.

NSIDC will continue to distribute the Version 2 AMSR-E/Aqua L1A Raw Observation Counts data set until 15 February 2013, when it will be removed from the archive.

Please contact NSIDC User Services with any inquiries regarding this data set.

 

10 May 2012

Updated Land Parameters Available

NSIDC is pleased to announce that the Daily Global Land Surface Parameters Derived from AMSR-E data set has been updated to include data through 27 September 2011. Please note that the AMSR-E instrument stopped producing data on 04 October 2011 due to a problem with the rotation of its antenna. No further data were collected in 2011. If you have questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.

2011 [top]

04 October 2011

AMSR-E Instrument Failure

As of 06:58 UTC on 04 October 2011, the AMSR-E instrument on board the Aqua satellite stopped producing data due to a problem with the rotation of its antenna. NASA is currently working with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to assess the condition of the AMSR-E instrument and consider future steps. As more information becomes available, NSIDC will post updates via RSS news feed and inform registered AMSR-E users via email. For more information or to register as an AMSR-E data user, please contact NSIDC User Services.

 

30 September 2011

New AMSR-E/Aqua L1A Data Available

On 28 September 2011, Version 3 (V003) of the AMSR-E/Aqua L1A Raw Observation Counts data set was released by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The V003 release includes improved geometric accuracy, a switch from HDF version 4.2r1 to 4.2r4, and an FTP location change.

To continue receiving these data, users should update any scripts or bookmarks to the new FTP location, ftp://n4ftl01u.ecs.nasa.gov/SAN/AMSA/AMSREL1A.003/. To be notified by email of future updates to this product, users may register with NSIDC User Services.

 

14 July 2011

AMSR-E Sea Ice Drift Data Now Available from NSIDC

NSIDC has released a new sea ice data set, the AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 6.25 km Sea Ice Drift Polar Grids. This Level-3 gridded product includes sea ice speed and direction generated by applying the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) wavelet transform algorithm to AMSR-E brightness temperatures. As this is a beta-level product, further development and updates to the algorithm are anticipated. Daily drift data are averaged over five-day intervals and are mapped to a polar stereographic grid at 6.25 km spatial resolution. Data are currently available from 01 June 2011 through the present. For further details and ordering options, see the product catalog page.

A Delivered Algorithm Package (DAP) is also available for this product. If you are interested in receiving the DAP or have any other questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.

 

25 May 2011

Updated AMSR-E/Aqua Brightness Temperatures Available

Both the AMSR-E/Aqua Daily EASE-Grid Brightness Temperatures and AMSR-E/Aqua Daily Global Quarter-Degree Gridded Brightness Temperatures data sets have been updated. This quarterly update extends the time series of both data sets through 31 March 2011. AMSR-E brightness temperatures are available in all three EASE-Grid projections (north, south, and global), as well as global, quarter-degree latitude-longitude gridded data.

 

29 April 2011

Preliminary Level-3 AMSR-E Data to be Discontinued

On 02 May 2011, NSIDC will discontinue distribution of Preliminary Level-3 AMSR-E data. Users who require AMSR-E data sooner than the four-day latency offered by our standard AMSR-E science products can now access near-real-time AMSR-E data through the NASA Land Atmosphere Near-real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) data system at the AMSR-E Science Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS). For more information and to register for near-real-time AMSR-E data, visit the LANCE Web site. Please contact NSIDC User Services if you have questions.


13 April 2011

CMC Snow Depth Analysis Data Now Available for 2010

The Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) Daily Snow Depth Analysis data set now includes daily and monthly data, as well as monthly climatologies, for 2010. For documentation and access to data, please refer to the product catalog page.


17 March 2011

NSIDC's Computing Center Shutting Down for Five Days to Become More Green

The National Snow and Ice Data Center, through a grant from the National Science Foundation, is modifying its facility to become one of the most energy-efficient data centers in the United States. As a part of this effort, NSIDC will shut down our computing center from Wednesday, 30 March through Sunday, 3 April to accommodate construction. The NSIDC Web site will be available intermittently during this time, providing data documentation and other information. However, access to all NSIDC data and online services will be unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience the limited access may cause you.


11 February 2011

Updated AMSR-E Brightness Temperatures Available

On 26 January 2011, the AMSR-E/Aqua L2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures were updated to V11 (Validated 11 - Stage 3). This update accommodates the production and distribution of near-real-time AMSR-E data through the NASA Land Atmosphere Near-real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) system. These data are indicated by a new product maturity code, R, for near-real-time data. As no science algorithm changes were made, past data will not be reprocessed. For details regarding AMSR-E data versions and ordering options, please refer to the AMSR-E/Aqua Data Web site.

A new Delivered Algorithm Package (DAP) is available for the updated product. If you would like a DAP or have any questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.

2010 [top]

17 December 2010

Call for Feedback: Additional Processing Proposed for Near-Real-Time AMSR-E Data

The Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center (GHRC DAAC) is seeking feedback regarding the processing of near-real-time AMSR-E data for the Land Atmosphere Near-Real-Time Capability for EOS (LANCE) system. Incremental daily processing could be added for near-real-time AMSR-E Level-3 daily ocean, land, snow, and sea ice products.

As Level-2 inputs are received throughout the day, partial daily products could be generated and identified with a product maturity code of "P" in the file name. Once all Level-2 inputs are available, the complete daily product would contain product maturity code "R" in the file name, as is currently being used.

Incremental processing would therefore allow partial products to be available more quickly than the current processing, which is once per day. The additional product maturity code would help users choose the products that best suit their needs.

Please direct your feedback regarding this proposed processing change to GHRC User Services at:

GHRC User Services Office
National Space Science and Technology Center
320 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, Alabama USA 35805
Phone: 256-961-7932
Email: ghrc@eos.nasa.gov

For more information about LANCE near-real-time AMSR-E data, please visit the LANCE AMSR-E Web site.


27 October 2010

New RSS Data Feed Available for AMSR-E and MODIS Products

Data users can now subscribe to receive new AMSR-E and MODIS data via an RSS data feed as soon as they are ingested at NSIDC. Each RSS feed entry includes a direct link to the data and corresponding metadata within the NSIDC FTP site. For more information about the NSIDC data products currently served by the RSS data feed, and to subscribe, please refer to the following product summary pages:

AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Global Swath Ocean Products derived from Wentz Algorithm
MODIS/Aqua Sea Ice Extent 5-Min L2 Swath 1km, Version 5

The RSS data feed serving these products was developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) under the NASA JPL Datacasting project. For more information about data casting, including feed reader and publisher guides, visit the JPL Datacasting: Earth Science Meets RSS Web site.


25 October 2010

Updated Level-2 AMSR-E Data Released, Available Sooner

Updated Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) Level-2 data products were released by the AMSR-E Science Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS) on 20 October 2010. These products were updated to add a new product maturity code, R, for near-real-time data. The SIPS included the new product maturity code for the production and distribution of near-real-time AMSR-E data via the NASA Land Atmosphere Near-real-time Capability (LANCE) data system. As no science algorithm changes were made, past data will not be reprocessed. The following products have been updated, and the latest algorithm version is listed:

AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Surface Soil Moisture, Ancillary Parms, & QC EASE-Grids
Algorithm: Validated 10 - Stage 1

AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Global Swath Rain Rate/Type GSFC Profiling Algorithm
Algorithm: Validated 11 - Stage 2

AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Global Swath Ocean Products derived from Wentz Algorithm
Algorithm: Validated 07 - Stage 2

NSIDC is also pleased to announce that, with this update, AMSR-E Level-2 products will now be available with latency reduced from five days to 20 hours from the time of observation. Quality Assurance files (QA), Production History (PH), and browse imagery are also available for ordering. For details regarding AMSR-E data versions and ordering options, please refer to the AMSR-E/Aqua Data Web site.

New Delivered Algorithm Packages (DAPs) are available for the updated products. If you are interested in receiving a DAP or have any other questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.


04 October 2010

Preliminary Level-2 AMSR-E Data to be Discontinued, Standard Level-2 AMSR-E Data Available Sooner

Preliminary Level-2 Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) data will be discontinued on 18 October 2010. Beginning on this date, the latency of standard Level-2 AMSR-E science products will be reduced from five days to 20 hours from the time of observation. This reduction will make the standard Level-2 AMSR-E science product available to users with approximately the same latency that the preliminary Level-2 product currently provides. In addition, NSIDC will continue to distribute preliminary Level-3 AMSR-E data.

Affected Level-2 AMSR-E products include:
AMSR-E/Aqua L2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures(Tb)
AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Surface Soil Moisture, Ancillary Parms, & QC EASE-Grids
AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Global Swath Rain Rate/Type GSFC Profiling Algorithm
AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Global Swath Ocean Products derived from Wentz Algorithm

Preliminary Level-2 AMSR-E data users will need to select a new data stream depending on their application or research requirements. Users who require research-quality products can use the standard Level-2 AMSR-E science products distributed at NSIDC, which can be downloaded directly from the NSIDC Data Pool.

Users who require AMSR-E data sooner than the 20-hour latency offered by the standard science product can now access near-real-time AMSR-E data distributed at NASA via the Land Atmosphere Near-real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) data system. Near-real-time Level-2 AMSR-E data are available through LANCE with a latency of three hours from the time of observation. For more information and to register for near-real-time data, please visit the LANCE AMSR-E Web site.

If you have questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.


24 September 2010

New Tool Available for Gridded Passive Microwave Data at NSIDC

Interactive Data Language (IDL) expert, David Fanning, has created a new tool for NSIDC, called the NSIDC DataViewer, that allows data users to conveniently view, display, and manipulate satellite images in a user-defined grid. The tool can be used with a variety of NSIDC passive microwave data sets ranging from brightness temperatures to sea ice motion vectors, and in three different projections, including Polar Stereographic, EASE-Grid, and Quarter-Degree.

Up to 64 images can be displayed simultaneously in the DataViewer resizeable graphics window, allowing data users to page through a series of images. Images can then be scaled and manipulated either individually or as a group. By moving the cursor over an image, a data user can obtain the latitude and longitude coordinates as well as the image value at the cursor location. After an image or series of images is manipulated, the contents of the graphics window(s) can be saved in a variety of image formats, including PostScript, PNG, JPEG, and TIFF.

The NSIDC DataViewer can be run in IDL with an IDL license, via the freely distributed IDL Virtual Machine, or as a run-time application. The NSIDC DataViewer is available via FTP in both Windows- and UNIX-compatible versions: dataviewer.zip and dataviewer.tar.gz, respectively.


03 September 2010

Updated Level-3 AMSR-E Products Released

Updated Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) Level-3 data products were released by the AMSR-E Science Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS) on 27 August 2010. These products were updated to add a new product maturity code, R, for near-real-time data. The SIPS included the new product maturity code to prepare for the upcoming production and distribution of near-real-time AMSR-E data via the Land Atmosphere Near-real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) data system. As no science algorithm changes were made, past data will not be reprocessed. Updated products, and the latest algorithm versions, are as follows:

Land

AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Params, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land3)
Algorithm: Validated 7 - Stage 1

Ocean

AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids (AE_DyOcn)
AMSR-E/Aqua Weekly L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids (AE_WkOcn)
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids (AE_MoOcn)
Algorithm: Validated 5 - Stage 2

Snow

AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_DySno)
AMSR-E/Aqua 5-Day L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_5DSno)
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_MoSno)
Algorithm: Validated 10 - Stage 1


In addition, Quality Assurance (QA) files, Production History (PH) files, and browse imagery are now available for ordering. For more information regarding AMSR-E data versions and ordering options, please refer to the AMSR-E Data Web site.

New Delivered Algorithm Packages (DAPs) are also available for the updated products. If you are interested in receiving a DAP or have additional questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.


03 September 2010

AMSR-E Sea Ice Products Updated, Concentration Difference Corrected

New versions of the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) Level-3 sea ice data products were released by the AMSR-E Science Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS) on 27 August 2010. These products were updated to Validated 13, Stage 1 to add a new product maturity code, R, for near-real-time data. The new product maturity code was included to accommodate the production of near-real-time AMSR-E data by the SIPS through the Land Atmosphere Near-real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) in the near future.

The update to the AMSR-E 12.5 km sea ice product also corrects an issue in the previous production code, V12, that introduced a new value in the sea ice concentration difference field when data from the Bootstrap Basic Algorithm (BBA) were missing. The value was -310; the standard value when BBA data are missing is -200 to -300. Past data will not be reprocessed, so users should be aware of this issue when working with data prior to 27 August 2010.

In addition to updated products, the quality assurance (QA) files, production history (PH) files, and browse imagery are now available for ordering. Further details regarding AMSR-E data versions and ordering options are available on the AMSR-E Data Web site.

New Delivered Algorithm Packages (DAPs) are also available for the updated products. If you are interested in receiving a DAP or have any other questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.


31 August 2010

NSIDC Welcomes Data Users to the NASA A-Train Symposium

Representatives from NSIDC will be attending the 2010 International Symposium on the A-Train Satellite Constellation in New Orleans, Louisiana USA from 25-28 October 2010. The symposium will include a user workshop on 25 October, which will focus on instrument data products and their use, followed by the three-day symposium to be held 26-28 October. Registration is free, and the deadline to submit an abstract is 10 September 2010. For further details, please visit the NASA A-Train Symposium Web page.


20 May 2010

AMSR-E Level-3 Ocean Products Updated to V04

AMSR-E Level-3 ocean products have been updated to Validated 4 (V04-Stage 1). The new V04 algorithm incorporates measures to further reduce Radio Frequency Interference (RFI), and the products now include an RFI angle grid as a parameter.

AMSR-E Level-3 ocean products include:

AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids
AMSR-E/Aqua Weekly L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids

NSIDC encourages data users to always work with the latest data (indicated by the highest version number) available for a given date. The AMSR-E Science Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS) is currently reprocessing data from the start of the AMSR-E mission, 19 June 2002, through 28 April 2010. NSIDC will notify users when reprocessing is complete.

More information regarding the updated algorithm is provided on the Data Versions for V002 Web page. A new Delivered Algorithm Package (DAP) is also available for these products by contacting NSIDC User Services.


27 April 2010

AMSR-E/Aqua Brightness Temperatures Updated

Both the AMSR-E/Aqua Daily EASE-Grid Brightness Temperatures and AMSR-E/Aqua Daily Global Quarter-Degree Gridded Brightness Temperatures data sets have been updated. This quarterly update extends the time series of both data sets through 31 March 2010. This includes data in all three EASE-Grid projections (north, south, and global) as well as global quarter-degree latitude-longitude gridded data.


02 April 2010

V12-Stage 1 AMSR-E Level-3 Sea Ice Products Now Available

NSIDC is pleased to announce the release of Validated 12 (V12-Stage 1) AMSR-E Level-3 sea ice products. The V12 algorithm corrects an error in the method for applying the multi-year sea ice mask that had caused large areas of Arctic to be erroneously masked in the Snow Depth on Sea Ice parameter. The multi-year sea ice mask and the snow melt mask are now stored within the AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperature, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12) product. The AE_SI12 product is the only sea ice product with the Snow Depth on Sea Ice parameter, but all AMSR-E sea ice products use the same production code and therefore will be processed with the V12 algorithm.

AMSR-E Level-3 sea ice products include the following:

AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 6.25 km 89 GHz Brightness Temperature Polar Grids (AE_SI6)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperature, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 25 km Brightness Temperature & Sea Ice Concentration Polar Grids (AE_SI25)

NSIDC encourages users to always work with the latest data/highest version number available for a given date. The AMSR-E Science Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS) has begun reprocessing data, and NSIDC will notify data users when reprocessing is complete. Forward processing will begin once reprocessing is complete.


25 March 2010

New Combined AMSR-E, QuikSCAT, and WMO Data Set

NSIDC is pleased to announce the release of a new data set, Co-Registered AMSR-E, QuikSCAT, and WMO Data. The data set contains the following spatially and temporally co-registered data:

  • Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) brightness temperatures for all channels
  • Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) backscattering coefficients
  • World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ground observations acquired from more than two thousand stations

QuikSCAT and WMO data are available from 01 January 2002 through 19 March 2009, and AMSR-E data are included from 19 June 2002 through 19 March 2009. For more information and data access, please refer to the Co-Registered AMSR-E, QuikSCAT, and WMO Data product Web page.


18 March 2010

New Daily, Global Land Surface Parameter Data Set Available

The Daily Global Land Surface Parameters Derived from AMSR-E data set is now available. This data set contains geophysical parameters generated from the AMSR-E instrument on the NASA Aqua satellite, including:

  • Air temperature minima and maxima at approximately 2 meters in height
  • Fractional cover of open water on land
  • Vegetation canopy microwave transmittance
  • Surface soil moisture at less than or equal to 2 centimeters soil depth
  • Integrated water vapor content of the intervening atmosphere for the total column

Data extend from 19 June 2002 through 31 December 2008 and were derived over land for non-precipitating, non-snow, and non-ice land surface conditions. The primary input data were daily AMSR-E dual polarized multi-frequency, ascending and descending overpass brightness temperature data.

For more information and data access, please refer to the Daily Global Land Surface Parameters Derived from AMSR-E product Web page.


21 January 2010

AMSR-E/Aqua Brightness Temperatures Updated

Both the AMSR-E/Aqua Daily EASE-Grid Brightness Temperatures and AMSR-E/Aqua Daily Global Quarter-Degree Gridded Brightness Temperatures data sets have been updated. This quarterly update extends the time series of both data sets through 31 December 2009. This includes data in all three EASE-Grid projections (north, south, and global) as well as global quarter-degree latitude-longitude gridded data.

2009 [top]

10 November 2009
Snow Depth on Sea Ice Parameter Corrected for the 2009/2010 Winter Sea Ice Season in AE_SI12 Product

The AMSR-E Science Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS) team re-initialized the multi-year sea ice mask on 05 October 2009 for Version 11 (V11) of the AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperatures, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12) product. Re-initializing the multi-year sea ice mask will ensure that the Snow Depth on Sea Ice parameter in the Northern Hemisphere is correct for the 2009/2010 winter sea ice season. The error in the Northern Hemisphere Snow Depth on Sea Ice parameter has not been corrected in data for previous sea ice seasons; therefore, users should exercise caution when working with the Northern Hemisphere Snow Depth on Sea Ice parameter in data using the V11 algorithm prior to 05 October 2009. Algorithm V12 will be implemented in the near future and AE_SI12 data for the entire AMSR-E mission will be reprocessed, correcting the Snow Depth on Sea Ice parameter. Registered users will be notified when V12 is installed and reprocessing begins.

If you have questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.

03 August 2009
Error with Arctic Snow Depth on Sea Ice Parameter in AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperatures, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12)

The AMSR-E sea ice team has notified NSIDC of an error with the Snow Depth on Sea Ice parameter in the AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperatures, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12) product. The method of applying the dynamic multi-year ice mask used for the Snow Depth on Sea Ice parameter is causing large areas of the Arctic to be erroneously masked. This error does not affect the Snow Depth on Sea Ice parameter in the Antarctic. The sea ice team is working with the AMSR-E Science Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS) at the Global Hydrology Resource Center to determine a solution. The solution will be implemented in the V12 algorithm, and the SIPS will reprocess data from the entire AMSR-E mission. Since the sea ice concentration parameters are not affected, NSIDC will continue to distribute the AE_SI12 product with the V11 algorithm until reprocessing with the V12 algorithm is complete. Users should not work with the Northern Hemisphere "Snow Depth on Sea Ice" parameter in data using the V11 algorithm. Registered users will be notified when the V12 algorithm is implemented and reprocessing begins. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

If you have questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.

27 July 2009
Reprocessing Complete for AMSR-E Level-3 Land, Sea Ice, and Snow Data Products

Reprocessing is now complete for the following AMSR-E Level 3 products:

Land Product:
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Parms, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land3)
Algorithm: Validated 06

Sea Ice Products:
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 6.25 km 89 GHz Brightness Temperature Polar Grids (AE_SI6)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperatures, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 25 km Brightness Temperatures & Sea Ice Concentration Polar Grids (AE_SI25)
Algorithm: Validated 11

Snow Products:
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_DySno)
AMSR-E/Aqua 5-Day L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_5DSno)
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_MoSno)
Algorithm: Validated 09

All data from 19 June 2002, the beginning of the AMSR-E mission, through the present now use the most up-to-date algorithm. For more information regarding the algorithm history of AMSR-E products, refer to the Data Versions for V002 Web page. For data access and documentation, visit the Data Summaries Web page

27 July 2009
Reprocessing Complete for two AMSR-E Data Products: AE_L2A and AE_Land

NSIDC is pleased to announce that reprocessing is complete for AMSR-E/Aqua L2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures (AE_L2A) and AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L2B Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Parms, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land) data products. AE_L2A data using the Validated 10 - Stage 3 algorithm, and AE_Land data using the Validated 09 - Stage 1 algorithm, are now available from 19 June 2002 (the beginning of the AMSR-E mission) through the present. More information regarding the algorithm history of AMSR-E products is available on the Data Versions for V002 Web page.

08 June 2009
Release of Validated 11 AMSR-E Level-3 Sea Ice Products

NSIDC is pleased to announce the release of Validated 11 (V11-Stage 1) AMSR-E Level-3 sea ice products as of 29 May 2009. The algorithm for V11 corrected an error introduced in the V10 algorithm which caused the snow depth on sea ice parameter to be overestimated by a factor of approximately two. Although AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperature, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12) is the only product with the affected parameter, all AMSR-E sea ice products use the same production code and will therefore be processed with the V11 algorithm.

AMSR-E Level-3 sea ice products include the following:
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 6.25 km 89 GHz Brightness Temperature Polar Grids (AE_SI6)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperature, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 25 km Brightness Temperature & Sea Ice Concentration Polar Grids (AE_SI25)

20 May 2009
Beginning 10 June 2009, Version 1 AMSR-E Data Will No Longer Be Available

Beginning 10 June 2009, Version 1 AMSR-E data will no longer be available from NSIDC. Version 1 data will remain available for ordering until 10 June 2009 through the Warehouse Inventory Search Tool (WIST), Data Pool, or the Search 'N' Order Web Interface (SNOWI). NSIDC currently distributes both Version 1 and Version 2 AMSR-E products. AMSR-E Version 2 products use the most up-to-date algorithms.

13 May 2009
Reprocessing has Begun for AMSR-E Level-3 Land, Sea Ice, and Snow Data Products

Reprocessing has begun for the following AMSR-E Level-3 data products:

Land Product
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Parameters, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land3)
Algorithm: Validated 06

Sea Ice Products
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 6.25 km 89 GHz Brightness Temperature Polar Grids (AE_SI6)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperatures, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 25 km Brightness Temperatures & Sea Ice Concentration Polar Grids (AE_SI25)
Algorithm: Validated 10

Snow Products
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_DySno)
AMSR-E/Aqua 5-Day L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_5DSno)
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_MoSno)
Algorithm: Validated 09

Data from 19 June 2002, the date the AMSR-E mission began, through the present will be reprocessed. Another announcement will be sent when reprocessing is complete.

07 May 2009
Reprocessing of V09 AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L2B Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Parameters, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land) Data Has Begun

Reprocessing of Validated 09 (V09 - Stage 1) AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L2B Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Parameters, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land) data began on 5 December 2008. There were no changes to the algorithm from the previous version. Data from 19 June 2002 (the beginning of the AMSR-E mission) to 5 December 2008 will be reprocessed. A user announcement will be sent when reprocessing is complete.

06 May 2009
AMSR-E L2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures (AE_L2A) Released at V10

NSIDC released Validated 10 (V10 - Stage 3) AMSR-E Level-2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures (AE_L2A) data on 16 April 2009. The algorithm for V10 added glint angels of the DirecTV 10 and 11 satellites to the Geostationary_Satellite_Glint_Angles field. The DirecTV 10 and 11 satellites were determined to be a source of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) in the descending AMSR-E 18.7 GHz vertically and horizontally polarized channels, beginning 15 September 2007. A checksum computed from latitudes, longitudes, and brightness temperatures, was also added. The checksum is attached to the L2A file as a global attribute.

Reprocessing of data from 19 June 2002 (the start of the AMSR-E mission) through 15 April 2009 has begun, and we will send a notice when reprocessing is complete.

06 April 2009
Tie points Used in Algorithm May Result in a Relative Change in Sea Ice Area and Extent

Two recent improvements in tie points used in the AMSR-E standard sea ice concentration algorithm may result in a relative change in sea ice area and extent for users working with multiple versions of the data. The effect on the output depends on season and hemisphere, but users may notice a decline in area and extent across the Arctic and an increase in the Antarctic in data with the most recent algorithm. The algorithm changes are reflected in the change from versions B06 to T08 and T08 to V10.

AMSR-E Level-3 sea ice products using the standard sea ice concentration algorithm include the following:

  • AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperature, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12)
  • AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 25 km Brightness Temperature & Sea Ice Concentration Polar Grids (AE_SI25)

NSIDC encourages users to always work with the latest data (highest version number) available for a given date. Data from 19 June 2002 (start of the AMSR-E mission) to 26 January 2009 will be reprocessed to V10. We will send an announcement when reprocessing begins. More information on versions of AMSR-E data is available at the AMSR-E Versions Web page.

If you have questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.

25 February 2009
Distribution of Data on Hard Media No Longer Available After 11 March 2009

Beginning 11 March 2009, NSIDC will no longer offer distribution of AMSR-E data on hard media, such as CD-ROM, DVD, and DLT. Data will only be available via FTP Pull or FTP Push.

For future orders, if you have trouble accessing data via FTP, please contact NSIDC's User Services Office for data access options.

2008 [top]

15 December 2008
AMSR-E Level-2 and Level-3 Land and Level-3 Snow Products Validated

Beginning on 01 December 2008, AMSR-E Level-2 and Level-3 Land products and Level-3 Snow products are Stage 1 validated. Stage 1 refers to the estimation of product accuracy by using a small number of independent measurements obtained from selected locations, time periods, and ground-truth/field program efforts. The Level-2 Land product and Level-3 Snow products transitioned from Transitional 08 (T08) to Validated 09 (V09). The Level-3 Land product transitioned from T05 to V06. No changes were made to the algorithms.

The products involved in this validation include the following:

AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Surface Soil Moisture, Ancillary Parms, & QC EASE-Grids(AE_Land)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Parameters, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land3)
AMSR-E/Aqua L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_DySno)
AMSR-E/Aqua 5-Day L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_5DSno)
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_MoSno)

23 November 2008
AMSR-E Level-3 Sea Ice Products Validated

Beginning on 21 September 2008, all AMSR-E Level-3 sea ice products are validated.  The products transitioned from Transitional 08 (T08) to Validated 09 (V09).  No changes were made to the algorithms.  AMSR-E Level-3 sea ice products include the following:

AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 6.25 km 89 GHz Brightness Temperature Polar Grids (AE_SI6)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperature, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 25 km Brightness Temperature & Sea Ice Concentration Polar Grids (AE_SI25)

07 October 2008
AMSR-E Level-2B Reprocessing Complete

Reprocessing is complete for all AMSR-E/Aqua Level-2B products. Data from 19 June 2002 (the start of the AMSR-E mission) to present are now Version 2, the validated or transitional version of the algorithm. The Level-2B products include:

Ocean
L2B Global Swath Ocean Products (AE_Ocean)
Algorithm: Validated 05 - Stage 3

Rain
L2B Global Swath Rain Rate (AE_Rain)
Algorithm: Validated 09 - Stage 2

Land
L2B Surface Soil Moisture, Ancillary Parameters, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land)
Algorithm: Transitional 06

07 October 2008
AMSR-E Level-3 Reprocessing Complete

Reprocessing is complete for all AMSR-E/Aqua Level-3 products. Data from 19 June 2002 (the start of the AMSR-E mission) to present are now Version 2, the validated or transitional version of the algorithm. The Level 3 products include:

Land
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Parameters, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_LAND3)
Algorithm: Transitional 05

Rain
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 5x5 deg Rainfall Accumulations (AE_RnGd)
Algorithm: Validated 06 - Stage 2

Ocean
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids (AE_DyOcn)
AMSR-E/Aqua Weekly L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids (AE_WkOcn)
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids (AE_MoOcn)
Algorithm: Validated 03 - Stage 2

Sea Ice
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 6.25 km 89 GHz Brightness Temperature Polar Grids (AE_SI6)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperature, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12)
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 25 km Brightness Temperature & Sea Ice Concentration Polar Grids (AE_SI25)
Algorithm: Transitional 08

Snow
AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_DySno)
AMSR-E/Aqua 5-Day L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_5DSno)
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_MoSno)
Algorithm: Transitional 08

16 September 2008
NSIDC Virtual Globes Now Displaying AMSR-E Data

NSIDC is pleased to announce that sea ice concentrations from AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 12.5 km Brightness Temperatures, Sea Ice Concentration, & Snow Depth Polar Grids (AE_SI12) were created as .kml files for use in Earth browsers, such as Google Earth. These files include the latest 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day animations of the daily sea ice concentrations and sea ice extent in the Arctic. The animations are updated daily and are available at the NSIDC Virtual Globes: Technical Experiments Web site.

If you have any questions, please contact NSIDC User Services.

15 August 2008
Reprocessing Has Started for All AMSR-E Level 3 Sea Ice Products

Reprocessing started with data from 19 June 2002, the start of the AMSR-E mission, and will continue through 5 July 2008. Forward processing began on 6 July 08. Reprocessing is expected to take several months to complete.

The following sea ice products are affected:

The algorithms for all Level 3 sea ice products are at the Transitional 08 (T08) level and incremented from Version 1 to Version 2. Sea ice temperature was removed from the AE_SI25 algorithm due to inherent ambiguities between changes in the physical temperature of the ice and changes in the ice emissivity; thus, the AE_SI25 product name also changed to AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 25 km Brightness Temperature & Sea Ice Concentration Polar Grids.

For a complete list of sea ice algorithm changes, as well ordering options and documentation, see the AMSR-E Data Versions Web page.

05 August 2008
Due to an Error in an Ancillary Data File, All Version 2 AMSR-E Level 3 Snow Products were Removed from NSIDC's Archives

The following Version 2 Level 3 snow products were removed from NSIDC's archives:

  • AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_DySno)
  • AMSR-E/Aqua 5-Day L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_5DySno)
  • AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids (AE_MoSno)

The bad ancillary data file creates an incorrect Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) flag. Any AMSR-E Level 3 snowfall data using the Transitional 08 Algorithm (T08) received from NSIDC prior to 23 July 2008 should not be used. The filename has the variable T08 in it.

Beginning 28 July 2008, new Version 2 AMSR-E Level 3 snow products were generated for 21 July 2008 and will continue with forward processing. Reprocessing will beginning with 19 June 2002, the start of the AMSR-E mission, and continue through 20 July 2008. The algorithm will remain at the T08 level.

For more information, contact NSIDC User Services.

04 August 2008
As of 06 July 2008, Version 2 of AMSR-E Level 3 Land, Rain, Ocean, Snow, and Sea Ice Products are Now Available at NSIDC

These products are considered Transitional (T) or Validated (V), and are listed below.

Land Product (Algorithm: T05)

Rain Product (Algorithm: V06 - Stage 2)

Ocean Products (Algorithm: V03 - Stage 2)

Sea Ice Products (Algorithm: T07)

Snow Products (Algorithm: T08)

Delivered Algorithm Packages (DAPs) are also available for these products. If you are interested in receiving the DAP, or for more information, contact NSIDC User Services.

06 March 2008
AMSR-E L2A Brightness Temperatures: Bad Resampled 89 GHz Horizontal Data

Recently the AMSR-E/Aqua L2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures (AE_L2A) Version 2 product was determined to have errors in the resampled 89.0 GHz Horizontal (H) fields.

Files with data coverage from 19 June 2002 00:29 through 4 November 2004 05:43 are affected. The fields containing bad data are:

  • 89.0H_Res.1_TB
  • 89.0H_Res.2_TB
  • 89.0H_Res.3_TB
  • 89.0H_Res.4_TB

Only AE_L2A files with an algorithm product maturity indicator of V08 in the filename are affected. The previous B01 and B02 versions for that time period were processed correctly.

The problem was caused when vertically polarized 89.0 GHz brightness temperatures from the AMSR-E A Feedhorn were used instead of horizontally polarized brightness temperatures when computing the resampled 89 GHz H fields. When the A Feedhorn failed on 4 November 2004, this coding error was no longer a problem since from that point on, all 89.0 GHz brightness temperatures came from the B Feedhorn.

AE_L2A data between 19 June 2002 00:29 through 4 November 2004 05:43 will be reprocessed to correct the problem using algorithm version V09. AE_L2A V08 data from 4 November 2004 05:43 to the present can be used without concern in conjunction with V09. Eventually all V08 data will be reprocessed to V09 for consistency.

2007 Data News [top]

11 December 2007
Loss of GBAD Data

On 2 December 2007, an anomaly developed on the Aqua spacecraft which prevented the production of Ground Based Attitude Determination (GBAD) data. Due to the loss of GBAD data, AMSR-E data production was stopped. Data production resumed on 7 December 2007; however, products are slightly delayed. Production is expected to return to normal by 12 December. All data for 2 December through 6 December is expected to be recovered and will be available from NSIDC.

9 May 2007
New Version 2 AMSR-E Level-2B Ocean Data

On 9 May 2007, production of Version 2 of the AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Global Swath Ocean Products derived from Wentz Algorithm (AE_Ocean) began. The AE_Ocean algorithm incremented from B05 (beta) to V05 (validated). A validated algorithm has been verified by the algorithm team and validated by the validation teams. The V05 AE_Ocean algorithm includes improved beamfilling correction and more accurate rain flags.

19 April 2007
New Version 2 AMSR-E Level-2B Land Data

On 19 April 2007, production of Version 2 of the AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Surface Soil Moisture, Ancillary Parms, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land) product began. The AE_Land algorithm incremented to T06 (transitional), replacing the previous B05 (beta) algorithm. Product maturity progresses from beta to transitional as the algorithm matures and stabilizes.

26 January 2007
Level-2A Data Reprocessing Complete

Reprocessing of the AMSR-E/Aqua L2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures (AE_L2A) data is complete. The reprocessing campaign goes back to the start of the AMSR-E mission. Data from 18 June 2002 to the present are now at Version 2 (V09), the validated version of the AE_L2A algorithm.

18 January 2007
New Version of Level-2B Data

A new version of the AMSR-E/Aqua L2B Global Swath Rain Rate/Type GSFC Profiling Algorithm (AE_Rain) is available at NSIDC. Beginning 13 November 2006, AE_Rain data are considered validated and have incremented from Version 1 to Version 2. The product maturity indicator, found in the AE_Rain filename, has changed from B08 (B = beta) to V09 (V = validated). This new version does not include any changes to the science algorithm.

2006 Data News [top]

15 September 2006
Level-2A Data Reprocessing

Reprocessing has begun for the AMSR-E/Aqua L2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures (Tb) (AE_L2A) data back to the start of the AMSR-E mission. Data will be reprocessed to Version 2 (V002) beginning with data from 18 June 2002 forward to 1 August 2006 when the Version 2 algorithm was implemented. Data will be available via the Data Pool and the EOS Data Gateway (EDG) as the data are reprocessed.

01 August 2006
Level-2A Validated Version 2 Data

A new version of the AMSR-E/Aqua L2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures (Tb) (AE_L2A) is now available. Beginning on 01 August 2006, AE_L2A data are considered validated and have incremented from Version 1 to Version 2. The product maturity indicator, found in the AE_L2A filename, has changed from B07 (B = beta) to V08 (V = validated). This new version does not include any changes to the science algorithm.

April 2006
Level-1A Data Reprocessing is Completed

Reprocessing of the AMSR-E/Aqua L1A Raw Observation Counts (AMSREL1A) data with the Version 2 algorithm is completed. Version 2 AMSREL1A data is now available from 18 June 2002 to the present via the Data Pool and the EOS Data Gateway (EDG).

2005 Data News [top]

December 2005
Level-3 Land Data Reprocessing is Complete

Reprocessing of the AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Parms, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land3) data to correct problems in the structural metadata is completed. Spatial subsetting of AE_Land3 is again available through the EOS Data Gateway.

October 2005
Spatial Subsetting Unavailable on Level-3 Land Products While Being Reprocessed

Spatial subsetting of the AMSR-E/Aqua Daily L3 Surface Soil Moisture, Interpretive Parms, & QC EASE-Grids (AE_Land3) products will be unavailable until further notice, due to the B02 data containing errors in the structural metadata. Users are advised that any geolocation function or software that uses the HDF-EOS library will return erroneous results. The affected data are currently being reprocessed to correct the metadata problem. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our customers. Please contact NSIDC User Services for more information ( nsidc@nsidc.org ).

09 June 2005
Level-1A Data Being Reprocessed

Reprocessing has begun for AMSR-E/Aqua L1A Raw Observation Counts (AMSREL1A) data back to the start of the AMSR-E mission. Data will be reprocessed to Version 2 (V002) beginning with data from 18 June 2002 forward to 1 March 2005, when the Version 2 algorithm was implemented. Data will be available via the Data Pool and the EOS Data Gateway (EDG) as they are reprocessed, which will take several months to complete.

24 February 2005
Improved Versions of Level-1A and -2A Data Coming Soon

On 01 March 2005, the AMSR-E/Aqua L1A Raw Observation Counts will be produced with a Version 2 algorithm, which features corrections to the cold sky mirror (CSM) data, a geometric correction, and minor format changes.

At the same time, the AMSR-E/Aqua L2A Global Swath Spatially-Resampled Brightness Temperatures (Tb) will be produced with the B04 algorithm, with the following features:

  • The name of the unsampled elements will change from Level1B to not-resampled.
  • Degree units will be consistent (deg rather than deg.) for both angle and temperature.
  • Level-2A metadata will include CoRegistrationParameterA and CoRegistrationParameterA2 fields.
  • Position_in_Orbit will be written as an 8-byte number rather than 4-byte.
  • Data will include new fields for geostationary satellite glint and effective cold target temperature.
  • The ProcessingVersionNumber swath attribute will be eliminated.

21 January 2005
Level-2B Rain Product Production Resumed

The AMSR-E rain products AE_Rain and AE_RnGd stopped production on 04 November 2004, while the algorithm developers modified the production code following the AMSR-E 89 GHz-A feedhorn failure in early November. The Level-2B rain product AE_Rain resumed production on 21 January 2005 (00:08 UTC). File names have a B04 identifier. AE_RnGd is a monthly product so new data files will not arrive until approximately mid-February.

06 January 2005
Improved Algorithm for Level-2A Brightness Temperatures and Higher-level Products

The Level-2A brightness temperatures product AE_L2A and all higher-level products, except for AE_Rain and AE_RnG, are no longer being produced with the B02 algorithm as of 02 January 2005. These products resumed on 06 January with the B03 algorithm, which offers improved calibration because the coefficients no longer depend on SSM/I or TMI. Data are also closer to real time. AE_L2A continues to derive data from the AMSR-E 89 GHz-B feedhorn because of problems with the 89 GHz-A feedhorn. Algorithm developers for the rain products stopped data production on 11 November 2004 because of these problems. They are currently modifying their production code and will release data with improved rain algorithms in the near future.

For more information about the different algorithms and their corresponding temporal coverage, see AMSR-E Data Versions.

2004 Data News [top]

11 November 2004
Invalid Data from AMSR-E 89 GHz A-horn

The AMSR-E 89 GHz A-horn developed a problem on 04 November 2004. Data from this horn are no longer valid. The AMSR-E algorithm developers are planning the following changes to accommodate this data loss:

Starting 11 November, a revised Level-2A processing algorithm, which uses only the 89 GHz B-horn data, will be used to produce the Level-2A product; and the file names for Level-2A will go from B01 to B02.

The Level-2B and Level-3 rain products will not be produced from 04 November until mid-December while the algorithm developers modify the production code. Thus, in mid-December, upon this algorithm change, the rain file names will go from B03 to B04.

The Level-3 snow and sea ice processing algorithms will not be revised in light of this instrument problem because the Level-2A input to these algorithms is being modified so that it uses only 89 GHz B-horn data. The Level-3 snow and sea ice file names will not change as a result of this problem.

The Level-2B and Level-3 soil moisture and ocean products are not affected by the loss of 89 GHz A-horn data.

Reprocessing of the Level-2A product and Level-2B and Level-3 rain products will have the following implications for users:

  • When ordering a data product, if you receive two versions of the same data, such as two files with B01 and B02 identifiers, please choose the file with the higher algorithm number, for example, B03 over B02.
  • If you receive duplicate or partial data granules, please choose the file with a later time stamp.

28 October 2004
Complete Set of AMSR-E Data Products Available

The AMSR-E SIPS has completed the first historical processing of the AMSR-E data for June 2002 (beginning of mission) through February 2004. The complete set of AMSR-E data products from beginning of mission to the present is now available at the NSIDC DAAC. For several of the AMSR-E data products, the science processing algorithm was updated in May 2004, several months after public release of the data. The AMSR-E SIPS is now reprocessing these data from March 2004 - May 2004 to create the following replacement products: level 2 rain and level 3 sea ice, snow, and rain. This will create a consistent data set using the same algorithms for the entire period of June 2002 - May 2004. We expect this activity to be completed by late November. The products will then be available at the NSIDC DAAC.

23 September 2004
Subscriptions Available as an Ordering Option

Users can now request subscriptions for AMSR-E, ICESat/GLAS, MODIS, and NISE data. This option is convenient if you require new data for a specific region on a daily or other repeating basis, but you do not want to actively search and order data files each time. Based on your preference, NSIDC will either push new data to your local server via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or will stage data on our FTP site for you to pull. Please see Data Subscription Requests for more information.

12 May 2004
Eight Products with Improved Algorithm Released

On 12 May, NSIDC began distributing the following products with improved algorithms:

AE_Rain
AE_RnGd
AE_SI6
AE_SI12
AE_SI25
AE_DySno
AE_5DSno
AE_MoSno

Details of the algorithm update are still unknown; more information will be available soon. Data files with improved algorithms have B02 in their file names. B indicates beta product maturity where data are calibrated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Contractor: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, in producing input Level-2A brightness temperatures. The product maturity will eventually upgrade to validated after the science software is tested and the algorithm is validated using the official NASA calibration.

These B02 products are currently being processed back to 18 June 2002, the start of the mission.

April 2004
Announcement: Workshop on EOS Snow and Ice Products

The First Workshop on Earth Observing System (EOS) Snow and Ice Products will be held near Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, on 16-17 November 2004. The intent of the workshop is to bring together current and potential users of EOS snow and ice standard products from the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - EOS (AMSR-E), Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) sensors. The themes of the workshop center on the snow and ice products including validation results, integration of EOS snow and ice products into models, production of climate data records, and the discussion of improvements to data access and availability. Presentations by data producers will be made, and demonstrations dealing with the acquisition and use of the products will be provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and the Goddard Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs). All users of EOS data are invited to present posters on their snow- and ice-related results. There will be ample time during the workshop for discussions relative to the workshop themes. If interested, please contact Dorothy Hall at NASA/GSFC or Marilyn Kaminski at NSIDC.

April 2004
AMSR-E Used to Study March Flooding

Steven Chan of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory used AMSR-E soil moisture data to quantify the extent of flooding after a large-scale thunderstorm ripped through the midwestern U.S. in March 2004. Read more about this study here.

April 2004
AMSR-E Level-3 Monthly Products Available

The monthly AMSR-E products listed below are available from NSIDC, with data dates starting 01 March 2004. See Ordering AMSR-E Data from NSIDC for more information.

AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 5x5 deg Rainfall Accumulations
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids

01 March 2004
AMSR-E Level-2B and Level-3 Products Available

Level-2B and Level-3 daily and weekly products are available from NSIDC. See Ordering AMSR-E Data from NSIDC for more information. Other products will be available soon:

April 2004:
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Ascending/Descending .25x.25 deg Ocean Grids
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 5x5 deg Rainfall Accumulations
AMSR-E/Aqua Monthly L3 Global Snow Water Equivalent EASE-Grids

02 February 2004
AMSR-E Swath-to-Grid Toolkit (AS2GT) Available

The new AMSR-E data tool developed at NSIDC and introduced at the AGU meeting in December 2003 is now available. The AMSR-E Swath-to-Grid Toolkit (AS2GT) is a suite of software tools distributed with NSIDC's Passive Microwave Swath Data Tools (PMSDT) to subset and grid Levels 1B and 2A AMSR-E swath data. AS2GT makes it possible to quickly and easily work with the AMSR-E data in ways that may not be available in the standard gridded data sets. This toolkit allows you to process data into custom grids with whatever temporal or spatial resolution you require. AS2GT maintains the highest data quality for your application by giving you control over map projection, number of samples per day, input resolution and interpolation method.

2003 Data News [top]

15 December 2003
Aqua Flight Dynamics System Failure

The following notice has been issued from Bill Guit, EOS Aqua Mission Director:

To users of Aqua data who need the predicted ephemeris in their processing:

On Wednesday, December 10, the Aqua Flight Dynamics System (FDS) experienced multiple drive failures on its operational RAID. After diagnostics were run, it was determined that three of the eight drives were bad. Due to the number of drive failures, the RAID was unable to repair itself with a simple drive replacement and the system was declared inoperable. Hardware problems with the FDS backup RAID (one bad drive) and difficulties encountered in populating the RAID with backup files resulted in it being declared inoperable also. This left the FDS unable to generate its routine products, including the daily ephemeris load that gets sent to the spacecraft..... By Friday afternoon, December 12, Dell technicians had replaced the failed hardware on both systems and had started the process of restoring the operational software and data files to the system.

As of late Sunday, December 14, the FDS was restored to normal operations. Please let us know if the problem had an impact on your normal operations. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

30 September 2003
SWGD Data Access and Usability Workshop Announced

The Earth Observing System (EOS) Science Working Group on Data (SWGD) is announcing a workshop scheduled for 5-6 November 2003, in Greenbelt, MD, USA. This workshop will include panel and breakout discussions by users describing their objectives, type of data they need, access to data, and barriers encountered and overcome. Please visit the SWGD's workshop announcement for more information.

19 June 2003
AMSR-E Level-1A Data Available

AMSR-E/Aqua L1A Raw Observation Counts are available from NSIDC, with data beginning 19 June 2003. AMSR-E Level 1A observation counts are processed from Level 0 science packet data by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Earth Observation Center (EOC) in Japan. Each half-orbit data granule consists of observation counts, antenna temperature coefficients, offsets for calculating antenna temperatures, calibration temperature counts, land/ocean flags, time, latitude, longitude, and navigation fields in HDF format. AMSR-E Level-2A data will be available on 01 September 2003, and other products will be available in March 2004.

26 February 2003
Webcast of AMSR-E Validation Experiments Announced

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Special Project Initiatives (SPI) office will host a Webcast of AMSR-E validation experiments on 27 March 2003. With an Internet Explorer browser, click on the RESOkit link where you will be directed to a sign-in page to create an account first. Click on the small lightning bolt icon for the web cast page. You must have Windows Media Player freeware installed on your computer to view the Webcast.

14 February 2003
Aqua Contributes to Cold Land Processes Field Experiment

The Aqua satellite is among several remote sensing platforms to collect snow cover data for the Cold Land Processes Field Experiment (CLPX). Jointly sponsored by NASA and NOAA, CLPX researches landscapes where water is frozen either seasonally or permanently. Data collected at the surface and from aircraft will be compared to snow cover data from the AMSR-E instrument aboard Aqua to validate the accuracy of the satellite data. Read more about the research in the NASA Press Release.

2002 Data News [top]

09 September 2002
AMSR-E Measures Sea Ice Extent

AMSR-E recently obtained images of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extent showing changes from 2-4 June and 21-22 July 2002. See the latest images on the NASA Earth Observatory site.

09 July 2002
AMSR-E First-light Images

First-light images from AMSR-E include microwave observations of a typhoon on 4 July 2002, sea surface temperature through clouds, and color global composites of brightness temperatures for 2-4 June 2002. See the images on the JAXA Web site.

04 May 2002
Aqua Satellite Launches

NASA's Aqua satellite successfully launched on 4 May 2002. The Aqua mission will collect information about the Earth's water cycle. NSIDC will archive and distribute science products from the AMSR-E instrument aboard Aqua. Visit NASA's Aqua Web site for more information.

 

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