[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Get Data

Download

DOWNLOADING DATA VIA HTTPS

To learn more about Earthdata Login and to register for an account, please see How to Register with Earthdata Login. Once you have logged in, data can be downloaded via a Web browser, command line, or client. For help with downloading data, please see Options Available for Bulk Downloading Data from HTTPS with Earthdata Login.

HTTPS
Data Set ID:
NSIDC-0338

SMEX03 SSM/I Brightness Temperature Data, Alabama, Version 1

This data set provides brightness temperature data acquired during the Soil Moisture Experiment 2003 (SMEX03) by the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) conducted in the SMEX03 Oklahoma, the Alabama/Georgia, and Brazil study areas.

Geographic Coverage

Parameter(s):
  • Microwave > Brightness Temperature
Spatial Coverage:

  • N: 38, S: 28, E: -80, W: -90
Spatial Resolution: Not Specified
Temporal Coverage:
  • 29 April 2003 to 29 September 2003
Temporal Resolution: Not specified
Data Format(s):
  • ASCII Text
Platform(s) DMSP, DMSP 5D-2/F13, DMSP 5D-2/F14, DMSP 5D-2/F15
Sensor(s): SSM/I
Version: V1
Data Contributor(s): Thomas Jackson
Metadata XML: View Metadata Record

Data Citation

As a condition of using these data, you must cite the use of this data set using the following citation. For more information, see our Use and Copyright Web page.

Jackson, T. 2008. SMEX03 SSM/I Brightness Temperature Data, Alabama, Version 1. [Indicate subset used]. Boulder, Colorado USA. NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center. doi: https://doi.org/10.5067/YLI4RKVMWFB3. [Date Accessed].

Back to Top

Collapse All / Open All

Detailed Data Description

Format

Data are provided in ASCII text files (.txt).

The following tables describe the column headings for the low (*.lo.txt) and high (*.hi.txt) frequency data files.

Table 1. Column Headings for Low Frequency Data Files
Column
Parameter
1
 Latitude in degrees North
2
 Longitude in degrees West
3
 Tb 19 v-pol
4
 Tb 19 h-pol
5
 Tb 22 v-pol
6
 Tb 37 v-pol
7
 Tb 37 h-pol

Table 2. Column Headings for High Frequency Data Files
Column
Parameter
1
 Latitude in degrees North
2
 Longitude in degrees West
3
 Tb 85 v-pol
4
 Tb 85 h-pol
Background color on
File and Directory Structure

The top directory level contains tarred and gzipped files containing the data for each SMEX03 study region and the readme file as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Top Level SMEX03 SSM/I Directory Structure.
Background color on
File Naming Convention

Data files are named according to the following convention. Table 3 describes the naming convention variables.

File Naming Convention
TDmmddyyyysstttt.rr.txt
Example File Name
TD04292003132345.hi.txt

Table 3. File Name Description
Variable Description
mm month
dd day
yyyy year
ss satellite number
tttt start time of swath (hour and minute of local standard time)
rr frequency set (lo or hi)

Tarred and gzipped files are named according to the following convention, where reg indicates the SMEX03 special region. Table 4 lists the regions

File Naming Convention
reg_SSMI.tar.gz
Example File Name
ALGA_SSMI.tar.gz

Table 4. SMEX03 Regions
Region Code Region Name
ALGA Alabama and Georgia
BZ Brazil
OK Oklahoma

Background color on
File Size

41 MB to 188 MB

Background color on
Volume

Total volume is approximately 275 MB for all data. Volume by region is approximately:

Alabama / Georgia: 42 MB
Oklahoma: 188 MB
Brazil: 45 MB

Background color on
Spatial Coverage

Alabama / Georgia:
Southernmost Latitude: 28.0° N
Northernmost Latitude: 38.0° N
Westernmost Longitude: 90.0° W
Easternmost Longitude: 80.0° W

Oklahoma:
Southernmost Latitude: 30.0° N
Northernmost Latitude: 40.0° N
Westernmost Longitude: 103.0° W
Easternmost Longitude: 93.0° W

Brazil:
Southernmost Latitude: 20.0° S
Northernmost Latitude: 0.0° S
Westernmost Longitude: 60.0° W
Easternmost Longitude: 40.0° W

Background color on
Temporal Coverage

Alabama / Georgia: 29 April 2003 to 29 September 2003

Oklahoma: 29 April 2003 to 23 September 2003

Brazil: 29 September 2003 to 28 February 2004

Temporal Resolution

For a given satellite, coverage is possible twice a day, approximately 12 hours apart, on the ascending and descending passes.

Background color on
Parameter or Variable

Brightness Temperature (Tb) in units of kelvin (K)

Parameter Description

The brightness temperatures are given by channel: 19.3, 22.2, 37.0, and 85.5 GHz.

Sample Data Record

Low Frequencies: The following is a sample from the file TD04292003132343.lo.txt. The first three lines are shown. See Format for column headings.

        28.04  -85.46  212.17  157.06  246.36  224.99  174.41
        28.08  -85.20  212.98  158.99  248.69  227.32  178.99
        28.12  -84.95  211.80  156.60  247.29  228.85  183.20

High Frequency: The following is a sample from the file TD04292003132343.hi.txt The first three lines are shown. See Format for column headings.

        28.01  -84.92  270.57  258.45
        28.02  -84.79  267.10  252.69
        28.03  -84.66  267.13  250.93
Background color on

Software and Tools

Background color on

Data Acquisition and Processing

Data Acquisition Methods

Data are first acquired as antenna temperatures in Temperature Data Record (TDR) format. Latitude and longitude coordinates for each pixel are included with these records. When a study area is specified in the data search procedure, all orbits that cross that area are extracted. On a given day, it is possible to have coverage by each of the three satellites twice a day. It is also possible to have no coverage.

Background color on
Derivation Techniques and Algorithms

Processing Steps

Additional processing consists of eliminating scans without coverage in the SMEX03 study regions, converting the antenna temperatures to brightness temperatures, and reformatting the data into ASCII files. The processed data files include a latitude and longitude assigned to each data point.

Background color on
Sensor or Instrument Description

SSM/I is a seven-channel, four-frequency, linearly polarized passive microwave radiometric system. It is a conical scanning total power microwave radiometer system operating at a look angle of 53 degrees. The nominal swath width is 1400 km. Data are collected at 128 points across track on every scan at 85 GHz. Only 64 points of observation are made across track on every other scan at the other frequencies.

SSM/I is flown aboard Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites F8, F10, F11, F12, F13, F14, and F15. Table 5 lists the characteristics of the relevant platforms that were in operation during SMEX03.

Table 5. SSM/I Satellites
Satellite
Launch Date
Supported Through
Ascending Equatorial Crossing Time (local time)
F13
March 1995
present
18:15
F14
May 1997
present
20:21
F15
December 1999
present
21:31

The SSM/Is orbit the earth about 14.1 times per day with an orbital period of about 102 minutes. The minimum data unit, an orbit, consists of two passes. These are pole-to-pole swaths, one ascending (south to north) and one descending (north to south). The first pass of a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) day is defined as the first complete pass of the day.

For more information, see the Special Sensor Microwave Imagery (SSM/I) Web page.

Background color on

References and Related Publications

Heymsfield, G. A. and R. Fulton. 1992. Modulation of SSM/I Microwave Soil Radiances by Rrainfall. Remote Sensing of Environment 29:187-202.

Hollinger, J. P., J. L. Peirce, and G. A. Poe. 1990. SSM/I Instrument Evaluation. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 28:781-790.

Jackson, T. J. 1997. Soil Moisture Estimation Using SSM/I Satellite Data Over a Grass Land Region. Water Resources Research 33:1475-1484.

Teng, W. L., J. R. Wang, and P. C. Doraiswamy. 1993. Relationship Between Satellite Microwave Radiometric Data, Antecedent Precipitation Index, and Regional Soil Moisture. International Journal of Remote Sensing 14:2483-2500.

RELATED DATA COLLECTIONS

Contacts and Acknowledgments

Thomas J. Jackson
USDA ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Lab
Bldg. 007, Rm. 104, BARC-West
Beltsville, MD 20705
USA

Document Information

DOCUMENT CREATION DATE

1 April 2008

DOCUMENT REVISION DATE

No technical references available for this data set.
No FAQs or How Tos available for this data set.

Access complete Knowledge Base

Questions? Please contact:
NSIDC User Services
Phone: 1 303 492-6199
Email: nsidc@nsidc.org