Name: Aquarius L2 Swath Single Orbit Soil Moisture, Version 2
Creator: National Snow and Ice Data Center
Keywords: BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE,RADAR BACKSCATTER,SOIL MOISTURE/WATER CONTENT

Aquarius L2 Swath Single Orbit Soil Moisture, Version 2

Data set id:

AQ2_SM

DOI: 10.5067/Aquarius/AQ2_SM.002

Data Citation and Acknowledgment
As a condition of using these data, you must cite the use of this data set. Such a practice gives credit to data set producers and advances principles of transparency and reproducibility.

Bindlish, R. & Jackson, T. (2013). Aquarius L2 Swath Single Orbit Soil Moisture. (AQ2_SM, Version 2). [Data Set]. Boulder, Colorado USA. NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/Aquarius/AQ2_SM.002. [describe subset used if applicable]. Date Accessed 11-22-2025.

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There is a more recent version of these data.
Version Summary

Version 2 of the Aquarius L2 Soil Moisture data is the first version available from NSIDC.

Overview

This data set contains Level-2 global soil moisture estimates derived from the NASA Aquarius passive microwave radiometer on the Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC-D). Note: Data beyond April 2014 will not be available until the next version (Version 3) of data are ready, which we anticipate to be soon. Registered data users will be notified when Version 3 data are delivered to NSIDC.

Parameter(s):

BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE

RADAR BACKSCATTER

SOIL MOISTURE/WATER CONTENT

Platform(s):

SAC-D

Sensor(s):

AQUARIUS_RADIOMETER

AQUARIUS_SCATTEROMETER

Data Format(s):

HDF

Temporal Coverage:

25 August 2011 to 1 May 2014

Temporal Resolution:

98 minute

Spatial Resolution:

varies

varies

Spatial Reference System(s):

Not Specified

Spatial Coverage:

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

Blue outlined yellow areas on the map below indicate the spatial coverage for this data set.

View Metadata Record

Data Access & Tools

This data set has been retired. There is a more recent version of these data.

Documentation

ATBDs

Addendum III to Aquarius Soil Moisture ATBD Users Guide, Version 2.0

Help Articles

General Questions & FAQs

When will the legacy, on-premises archive be retired?

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