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    • GHRSST Level 2P Global Skin Sea Surface Temperature from the Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) on the ESA Envisat satellite produced by EUR (GDS version 1)

    Metadata Updated: October 2, 2025

    Launched in March 2002 by the European Space Agency (ESA), Envisat is the largest Earth Observation spacecraft ever built. It carries ten sophisticated optical and radar instruments to provide continuous observation and monitoring of the Earth's land, atmosphere, oceans and ice caps. The Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) onboard the Envisat spacecraft is designed to meet the challenging task of monitoring and detecting the climate change signal of sea surface temperature (SST). It builds on the success of its predecessor instruments on the European Remote-Sensing Satellite (ERS)-1, and ERS-2 satellites, and will lead to a multi-decade record of precise and accurate global SST measurements, thereby making a valuable contribution to the long-term climate record. The exceptionally high radiometric accuracy and stability of AATSR data are achieved through a number of unique features. A comprehensive pre-launch calibration programme, combined with continuous in-flight calibration, ensures that the data are continually corrected for sensor drift and degradation. A "dual-view" algorithm offering improved atmospheric correction by applying two different atmospheric path lengths is used to derive the SSTskin observations. The accuracies achieved with this configuration are further enhanced by using low-noise infrared detectors, cooled to their optimum operating temperature by a pair of Stirling-cycle coolers. With its high-accuracy, high-quality imagery and channels in the visible, near-infrared and thermal wavelengths, AATSR data will support many applications in addition to oceanographic and climate research, including a wide range of land-surface, cryosphere and atmospheric studies. See Llewellyn-Jones et al (2001) ESA bulletin 105, Feb 2001 for a full description. These AATSR L2P SST data are produced as part of the Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) Project according to the GHRSST-PP Data Processing Specification (GDS) version 1.5. This AATSR L2P dataset is the original product produced by the Medspiration Regional Data Assembly Facility (RDAC) from early 2005 to mid 2009.

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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    Dates

    Metadata Date 2025-09-26T19:45:37Z
    Metadata Created Date December 4, 2020
    Metadata Updated Date October 2, 2025
    Reference Date(s) September 13, 2006 (publication), October 15, 2021 (revision)
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    Preview graphic

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Series
    Metadata Date 2025-09-26T19:45:37Z
    Metadata Created Date December 4, 2020
    Metadata Updated Date October 2, 2025
    Reference Date(s) September 13, 2006 (publication), October 15, 2021 (revision)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nodc:GHRSST-EUR-L2P-ATS_NR_2P
    Access Constraints Cite as: Medspiration (2006). GHRSST Level 2P Global Skin Sea Surface Temperature from the Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) on the ESA Envisat satellite produced by EUR (GDS version 1). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/GHRSST-EUR-L2P-ATS_NR_2P. Accessed [date]., Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
    Bbox East Long 180
    Bbox North Lat 83.968
    Bbox South Lat -83.801
    Bbox West Long -180
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded
    Graphic Preview Description Preview graphic
    Graphic Preview File https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/gfx?id=gov.noaa.nodc:GHRSST-EUR-L2P-ATS_NR_2P
    Graphic Preview Type PNG
    Harvest Object Id a40ccbc4-d7a2-4377-9856-2f46726f3470
    Harvest Source Id c084a438-6f6b-470d-93e0-16aeddb9f513
    Harvest Source Title NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions
    Licence accessLevel: Public
    Lineage
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-180.0, -83.801], [180.0, -83.801], [180.0, 83.968], [-180.0, 83.968], [-180.0, -83.801]]]}
    Progress completed
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 2004-12-30
    Temporal Extent End 2009-09-29

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