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CoastWatch Swath Files in HDF Format

Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Catalog Last Checked: May 06, 2026 at 06:41 AM | Dataset Last Updated: November 10, 2003 at 12:00 AM
CoastWatch swath data derived from AVHRR is full pass swath projection data from different AVHRR receiving stations. The files contain multiple data variables stored using the HDF-4 Scientific Data Sets (SDS) model. The product contents are channel 1 albedo, channel 2 albedo, channel 3a albedo, channel 3 brightness temperature, channel 4 brightness temperature, channel 5 brightness temperature, moisture corrected sea-surface-temperature, 8-bit CLAVR ocean cloud mask, 2-bit CLAVR-X cloud mask, satellite zenith angle, solar zenith angle and relative azimuth angle.

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HABITAT SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE WATER TEMPERATURE AVHRR AVHRR-3 continuous derived products imagery

Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel non-public
accrualPeriodicity R/P1D
contactPoint 
                                            {
  "fn": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:ncei.info@noaa.gov"
}
describedByType application/octet-steam
description CoastWatch swath data derived from AVHRR is full pass swath projection data from different AVHRR receiving stations. The files contain multiple data variables stored using the HDF-4 Scientific Data Sets (SDS) model. The product contents are channel 1 albedo, channel 2 albedo, channel 3a albedo, channel 3 brightness temperature, channel 4 brightness temperature, channel 5 brightness temperature, moisture corrected sea-surface-temperature, 8-bit CLAVR ocean cloud mask, 2-bit CLAVR-X cloud mask, satellite zenith angle, solar zenith angle and relative azimuth angle.
distribution 
                                            [
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Order",
    "accessURL": "https://www.class.noaa.gov/saa/products/search?sub_id=0&datatype_family=CW_SWATH",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "These data are available through NOAA's Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System (CLASS). Use the CLASS web interface to search for and order data by temporal, spatial and and other product-specific criteria. You may also create a subscription to order data on a regular basis.",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "NCEI Dataset Landing Page",
    "accessURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/CoastWatch-POES-AVHRR-L2",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://coastwatch.noaa.gov/",
    "accessURL": "https://coastwatch.noaa.gov/",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Satellite data products for understanding and managing our oceans and coasts",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "POD Guides: N-15 thru N-19",
    "accessURL": "https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/satellite/publications/podguides/N-15%20thru%20N-19/",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Section 9.5 CoastWatch Products",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/sod/mecb/coastwatch/cwf/cwutils_ug_3_4_0.pdf",
    "format": "PDF",
    "mediaType": "application/pdf",
    "description": "CoastWatch Software Library and Utilities User's Guide",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/sod/mecb/coastwatch/cwf/cwutils_ug_3_4_0.pdf",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "GCMD Keyword Forum Page",
    "accessURL": "https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "NCEI Contact Information",
    "accessURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Information for contacts at NCEI.",
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  },
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    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
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    "description": "Institution web page",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
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]
identifier https://data.noaa.gov/waf/NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions/iso/xml/CoastWatch-POES-AVHRR-L2.xml
issued 2003-11-10T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword 
                                            [
  "HABITAT",
  "SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE",
  "WATER TEMPERATURE",
  "AVHRR",
  "AVHRR-3",
  "continuous",
  "derived products",
  "imagery",
  "physical",
  "satellite data",
  "surface measurements",
  "MetOp-A",
  "NOAA-12",
  "NOAA-15",
  "NOAA-16",
  "NOAA-17",
  "NOAA-18",
  "NOAA-19",
  "NOAA Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution",
  "NOAA Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution",
  "COASTAL",
  "NOAA CoastWatch (CoastWatch)",
  "Caribbean Sea",
  "Coastal Waters of California",
  "Coastal Waters of Gulf of Mexico",
  "Coastal Waters of Hawaii",
  "Coastal Waters of Southeast Alaska and British Columbia",
  "Coastal Waters of Washington/Oregon",
  "Coastal Waters of Western U.S.",
  "East Coast - US/Canada",
  "Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary",
  "Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary",
  "Great Barrier Reef (Coastal Waters)",
  "Gulf of California",
  "Gulf of Mexico",
  "Mid-Atlantic Bight",
  "North American Coastline-North",
  "North American Coastline-South",
  "North Atlantic Ocean",
  "North Pacific Ocean",
  "West Coast - US/Canada",
  "oceanography",
  "satelliteObservation",
  "DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NODC > National Oceanographic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/OSPO > Office of Satellite and Product Operations, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN TEMPERATURE > SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN TEMPERATURE > WATER TEMPERATURE",
  "sea_surface_temperature",
  "AVHRR > Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer",
  "AVHRR-3 > Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer-3",
  "METOP-A > Meteorological Operational Satellite - A",
  "NOAA-12 > National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-12",
  "NOAA-15 > National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-15",
  "NOAA-16 > National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-16",
  "NOAA-17 > National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-17",
  "NOAA-18 > National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-18",
  "NOAA-19 > National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration-19",
  "MetOp-A (ICES code: 064Q, 2006-2016)",
  "NOAA-12 (ICES code: 3207, 1991-2007)",
  "NOAA-15 (ICES code: 334W, 1998-2016)",
  "NOAA-16 (ICES code: 33J9, 2000-2014)",
  "NOAA-17 (ICES code: 33ZS, 2002-2013)",
  "NOAA-18 (ICES code: 33WM, 2005-2016)",
  "NOAA-19 (ICES code: 33Y9, 2009-2016)",
  "Continent > Australia/new Zealand > Australia",
  "Continent > North America > United States Of America > Alaska",
  "Continent > North America > United States Of America > California",
  "Continent > North America > United States Of America > Florida",
  "Continent > North America > United States Of America > Hawaii",
  "Continent > North America > United States Of America > Virginia",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MEXICO",
  "OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN > HAWAIIAN ISLANDS",
  "OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN",
  "OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN",
  "Cape Ferguson Queensland, Australia",
  "Ewa Beach, HI",
  "Gilmore Creek, AK",
  "Miami, FL",
  "Monterey, CA",
  "Wallops Island, VA",
  "1.1 km per pixel at nadir and lower near the edges",
  "Level 2"
]
landingPage https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
language 
                                            []
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2003-11-10T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
                                            {
  "name": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
references 
                                            [
  "https://coastwatch.noaa.gov/",
  "https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/satellite/publications/podguides/N-15%20thru%20N-19/",
  "https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/sod/mecb/coastwatch/cwf/cwutils_ug_3_4_0.pdf"
]
rights otherRestrictions
spatial 147.05,-19.27,-157.87,64.97
temporal 2003-11-10T00:00:00+00:00/2003-11-10T00:00:00+00:00
title CoastWatch Swath Files in HDF Format

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