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CYGNSS Level 2 Science Data Record Version 2.1

Published by NASA/ESSP/UMICH/CYGNSS;NASA/JPL/PODAAC | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Catalog Last Checked: June 23, 2026 at 08:52 PM | Dataset Last Updated: June 22, 2026
This dataset contains the Version 2.1 CYGNSS Level 2 Science Data Record which provides the time-tagged and geolocated average wind speed (m/s) and mean square slope (MSS) with 25x25 kilometer resolution from the Delay Doppler Mapping Instrument aboard the CYGNSS satellite constellation. This version supersedes Version 2.0. The reported sample locations are determined by the specular points corresponding to the Delay Doppler Maps (DDMs). A subset of DDM data used in the direct processing of the average wind speed and MSS is co-located inside of the Level 2 data files. Only one netCDF data file is produced each day (each file containing data from up to 8 unique CYGNSS spacecraft) with a latency of approximately 6 days (or better) from the last recorded measurement time. The Version 2.1 release represents the second science-quality release. Here is a summary of improvements that reflect the quality of the Version 2.1 data release: 1) revised Geophysical Model Functions (GMFs) for both Fully Developed Seas (FDS) and Young Seas with Limited Fetch conditions, to be consistent with the calibration changes made to the v2.1 Level 1 science data products.; 2) Revised covariance matrix between DDMA and LES versions of the FDS wind speed retrieval, used by the minimum variance estimator, resulting from changes made to the v2.1 Level 1 science data products; 3) Revised debiasing algorithm coefficients used by the FDS L2 retrieval algorithm, resulting from changes made to the v2.1 Level 2 science data products; 4) revised quality control (Q/C) flags related to the required level of consistency between DDMA and LES versions of the FDS wind speed retrieval (the errors in the two retrievals are now less correlated so larger discrepancies are allowed; if either retrieval is not available, the sample receives a fatal Q/C flag); 5) new Q/C flag related to the block type of the GPS satellite which provided the transmitted signal. Samples using block II-F signals receive a fatal Q/C flag due to the higher level of uncertainty in their radiated power; 6) revised wind speed uncertainty values as a function of RCG and wind speed, plus a new dependence of the uncertainty on GPS block type to reflect the higher uncertainty in GPS radiated power for block II-F satellites.

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Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel public
bureauCode 
[
  "026:00"
]
contactPoint 
{
  "fn": "Earthdata Forum",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:earthdata-support@nasa.gov"
}
description This dataset contains the Version 2.1 CYGNSS Level 2 Science Data Record which provides the time-tagged and geolocated average wind speed (m/s) and mean square slope (MSS) with 25x25 kilometer resolution from the Delay Doppler Mapping Instrument aboard the CYGNSS satellite constellation. This version supersedes Version 2.0. The reported sample locations are determined by the specular points corresponding to the Delay Doppler Maps (DDMs). A subset of DDM data used in the direct processing of the average wind speed and MSS is co-located inside of the Level 2 data files. Only one netCDF data file is produced each day (each file containing data from up to 8 unique CYGNSS spacecraft) with a latency of approximately 6 days (or better) from the last recorded measurement time. The Version 2.1 release represents the second science-quality release. Here is a summary of improvements that reflect the quality of the Version 2.1 data release: 1) revised Geophysical Model Functions (GMFs) for both Fully Developed Seas (FDS) and Young Seas with Limited Fetch conditions, to be consistent with the calibration changes made to the v2.1 Level 1 science data products.; 2) Revised covariance matrix between DDMA and LES versions of the FDS wind speed retrieval, used by the minimum variance estimator, resulting from changes made to the v2.1 Level 1 science data products; 3) Revised debiasing algorithm coefficients used by the FDS L2 retrieval algorithm, resulting from changes made to the v2.1 Level 2 science data products; 4) revised quality control (Q/C) flags related to the required level of consistency between DDMA and LES versions of the FDS wind speed retrieval (the errors in the two retrievals are now less correlated so larger discrepancies are allowed; if either retrieval is not available, the sample receives a fatal Q/C flag); 5) new Q/C flag related to the block type of the GPS satellite which provided the transmitted signal. Samples using block II-F signals receive a fatal Q/C flag due to the higher level of uncertainty in their radiated power; 6) revised wind speed uncertainty values as a function of RCG and wind speed, plus a new dependence of the uncertainty on GPS block type to reflect the higher uncertainty in GPS radiated power for block II-F satellites.
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identifier 10.5067/CYGNS-L2X21
keyword 
[
  "earth-science-ocean-winds-oceans-surface-winds",
  "earth-science-radar-spectral-engineering-radar-cross-section",
  "earth-science-radar-spectral-engineering-sigma-naught"
]
license https://www.usa.gov/government-works
modified 2026-06-22
programCode 
[
  "026:000"
]
publisher 
{
  "name": "NASA/ESSP/UMICH/CYGNSS;NASA/JPL/PODAAC",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
spatial 
"["CARTESIAN", [{"NorthBoundingCoordinate": 40.0, "WestBoundingCoordinate": -180.0, "EastBoundingCoordinate": 180.0, "SouthBoundingCoordinate": -40.0}]]"
temporal 2017-03-18/2026-06-15
theme 
[
  "Earth Science"
]
title CYGNSS Level 2 Science Data Record Version 2.1

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