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RapidScat Level 2A Surface Flagged Sigma-0 and Attenuations in 25km Swath Grid Version 2.0

Metadata Updated: September 18, 2025

This dataset contains the Version 2.0 ISS-RapidScat Level 2A 25km science data record, which provides surface-flagged sigma-0 in 25km Wind Vector Cells processed using the pulse "egg" Sigma-0 data provided by the Level 1B dataset. Due to the circular scan of the SeaWinds instrument the expected number of Sigma-0 cells per WVC is not constant. To minimize the L2A data volume, the Sigma-0 cell data are stored as "lists" for each WVC row, with each list indexed by a "cell_index" array to indicate the cross-track WVC membership of the data. Each cell is then checked for land or ice and flagged accordingly. Attenuation corrections for each Sigma-0 measurement are also provided. Version 2.0 represents a complete historical re-processing of the L2A data record and provides a calibration which is consistent across the several signal to noise ratio states experienced by RapidScat throughout its operation period (see the technical note for Version 2.0 under Documentation). It is also derived from the same L1B V2.0 product that was used to generate Version 2.0 wind products (L2B). Data are provided in single-orbit files in HDF-4 format. RapidScat is a Ku-band dual beam circular rotating scatterometer retaining much of the same hardware and functionality of QuikSCAT, with exception of the antenna sub-system and digital interface to the International Space Station (ISS) Columbus module, which is where RapidScat is mounted. The NASA mission is officially referred to as ISS-RapidScat. Unlike QuikSCAT, ISS-RapidScat is not in sun-synchronous orbit, and flies at roughly half the altitude with a low inclination angle that restricts data coverage to the tropics and mid-latitude regions; the extent of latitudinal coverage stretches from approximately 61 degrees North to 61 degrees South. Furthermore, there is no consistent local time of day retrieval.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. 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.

Downloads & Resources

Dates

Metadata Created Date April 11, 2025
Metadata Updated Date September 18, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from NASA Data.json

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date April 11, 2025
Metadata Updated Date September 18, 2025
Publisher NASA/JPL/PODAAC
Maintainer
Identifier 10.5067/RSX25-L2A20
Data Last Modified 2025-09-11
Category Earth Science
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 026:00
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id cf1fd8e6-44e6-4a95-8b6b-f87880e46419
Harvest Source Id 58f92550-7a01-4f00-b1b2-8dc953bd598f
Harvest Source Title NASA Data.json
Homepage URL https://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/CitingPODAAC
Old Spatial "CARTESIAN",{"WestBoundingCoordinate":-180,"SouthBoundingCoordinate":-61,"EastBoundingCoordinate":180,"NorthBoundingCoordinate":61}
Program Code 026:000
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 1e1f4c1e9dbbf2fe464875072bd1ca9886f23632b9698b735c19dfe1833501eb
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial
Temporal 2014-10-03/2014-10-03

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