Global Monthly and Seasonal Urban and Land Backscatter Time Series, 1993-2020
The Global Monthly and Seasonal Urban and Land Backscatter Time Series, 1993-2020, is a multi-sensor, multi-decadal, data set of global microwave backscatter, for 1993 to 2020. It assembles data from C-band sensors onboard the European Remote Sensing Satellites (ERS-1 and ERS-2) covering 1993-2000, Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) onboard EUMETSAT satellites for 2007-2020, and the Ku-band sensor onboard the QuikSCAT satellite for 1999-2009, onto a common spatial grid (0.05 degree latitude /longitude resolution) and time step (both monthly and seasonal). Data are provided for all land (except high latitudes and islands), and for urban grid cells, based on a specific masking that removes grid cells with > 50% open water or < 20% built land. The all-land data allows users to choose and evaluate other urban masks. There is an offset between C-band and Ku-band backscatter from both vegetated and urban surfaces that is not spatially constant. There is a strong linear correlation (overall R-squared value = 0.69) between 2015 ASCAT urban backscatter and a continental-scale gridded product of building volume, across 8,450 urban grid cells (0.05 degree resolution) from large cities in Europe, China, and the United States.
Resources
3 resources available
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Original Metadata
ISO -
Resource 2
BIN -
Resource 3
PDF
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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 | The Global Monthly and Seasonal Urban and Land Backscatter Time Series, 1993-2020, is a multi-sensor, multi-decadal, data set of global microwave backscatter, for 1993 to 2020. It assembles data from C-band sensors onboard the European Remote Sensing Satellites (ERS-1 and ERS-2) covering 1993-2000, Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) onboard EUMETSAT satellites for 2007-2020, and the Ku-band sensor onboard the QuikSCAT satellite for 1999-2009, onto a common spatial grid (0.05 degree latitude /longitude resolution) and time step (both monthly and seasonal). Data are provided for all land (except high latitudes and islands), and for urban grid cells, based on a specific masking that removes grid cells with > 50% open water or < 20% built land. The all-land data allows users to choose and evaluate other urban masks. There is an offset between C-band and Ku-band backscatter from both vegetated and urban surfaces that is not spatially constant. There is a strong linear correlation (overall R-squared value = 0.69) between 2015 ASCAT urban backscatter and a continental-scale gridded product of building volume, across 8,450 urban grid cells (0.05 degree resolution) from large cities in Europe, China, and the United States. |
| distribution |
[ { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "Original Metadata", "format": "ISO", "mediaType": "text/xml", "conformsTo": "http://www.isotc211.org/2005/gmi", "description": "The metadata's original source.", "downloadURL": "https://cmr.earthdata.nasa.gov/search/concepts/C3540910600-ESDIS.iso19115" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "format": "BIN", "mediaType": "application/octet-stream", "downloadURL": "https://search.earthdata.nasa.gov/search/granules?p=C3540910600-ESDIS" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "format": "PDF", "mediaType": "application/pdf", "downloadURL": "https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/downloads/docs-repo/urbanspatial-urban-land-backscatter-time-series-1993-2020-readme.pdf" } ] |
| identifier | 10.7927/gr2e-dh86 |
| keyword |
[ "earth-science-atmospheric-radiation-atmosphere-reflectance", "earth-science-habitat-conversion-fragmentation-human-dimensions-urbanization-urban-sprawl", "earth-science-sustainability-human-dimensions" ] |
| license | https://www.usa.gov/government-works |
| modified | 2026-06-23 |
| programCode |
[ "026:000" ] |
| publisher |
{ "name": "ESDIS", "@type": "org:Organization" } |
| spatial |
"["CARTESIAN", [{"WestBoundingCoordinate": -180, "NorthBoundingCoordinate": 90, "EastBoundingCoordinate": 180, "SouthBoundingCoordinate": -90}]]"
|
| temporal | 1993-01-01/2020-12-31 |
| theme |
[ "Earth Science" ] |
| title | Global Monthly and Seasonal Urban and Land Backscatter Time Series, 1993-2020 |
