DMSP SSM/I-SSMIS Daily Polar Gridded Brightness Temperatures, Version 6
Data set id:
NSIDC-0001
DOI: 10.5067/MXJL42WSXTS1
This is the most recent version of these data.
Version Summary
This version contains the following changes:
- Data set was converted from binary to NetCDF format.
- Daily files now contain data from all available sensors for a particular day.

Overview

This data set provides daily gridded brightness temperatures derived from passive microwave sensors and distributed in a polar stereographic projection. NSIDC produces daily gridded brightness temperatures from orbital swath data generated by the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) aboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F8, F11, and F13 platforms and the Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS) aboard DMSP F17 and F18. The SSM/I and SSMIS channels used to calculate brightness temperatures include 19.3 GHz vertical and horizontal, 22.2 GHz vertical, 37.0 GHz vertical and horizontal, 85.5 GHz vertical and horizontal (on SSM/I), and 91.7 GHz vertical and horizontal (on SSMIS). Data at 85.5 GHz and 91.7 GHz are gridded at a resolution of 12.5 km, with all other frequencies at a resolution of 25 km. Orbital data for each 24-hour period are mapped to respective grid cells using a simple sum-and-average method, also known as the drop-in-the-bucket method. Data coverage began on 09 July 1987 and is ongoing through the most current processing, with updated data processed several times annually.
Parameter(s):
BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE
Platform(s):
DMSP 5D-2/F11
DMSP 5D-2/F13
DMSP 5D-2/F8
DMSP 5D-3/F17
DMSP 5D-3/F18
Sensor(s):
SSM/I
SSMIS
Data Format(s):
netCDF-4
Temporal Coverage:
  • 9 July 1987 to present
Temporal Resolution:
  • 1 day
Spatial Resolution:
  • 25 km
  • 12.5 km
  • 25 km
  • 12.5 km
Spatial Reference System(s):
  • WGS 84 / Antarctic Polar Stereographic
    EPSG:3031
  • NSIDC Sea Ice Polar Stereographic North
    EPSG:3411
  • NSIDC Sea Ice Polar Stereographic South
    EPSG:3412
  • WGS 84 / Arctic Polar Stereographic
    EPSG:3995
Spatial Coverage:
  • Northern latitude
    90
    Southern latitude
    30
    Eastern longitude
    180
    Western longitude
    -180
  • Northern latitude
    -39
    Southern latitude
    -90
    Eastern longitude
    180
    Western longitude
    -180
Blue outlined yellow areas on the map below indicate the spatial coverage for this data set.

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