SSMI / SSMIS Ocean Products Grid from DMSP F16 and F17 Version 7

SSMIS Monthly and 3-day averaged RSS Ocean products.

The Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) and the Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder (SSMIS) are satellite passive microwave radiometers. This series of instruments has been carried onboard Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites since 1987. These are near-polar orbiting satellites. F16 SSMIS (Oct 2003 - present) and F17 SSMIS (Dec 2006 - present) instruments provide data here. Ocean measurements we derive from the radiometer observations include Surface Wind Speed, Atmospheric Water Vapor, Cloud Liquid Water, and Rain Rate.

Missing Data: There are gaps in time within these data.

Acronym Product
Name 		Product Description Scale Offset Valid Data Range Reason for no data
TIME Time Minutes since midnight GMT
Fractional hour of day GMT		 6.0
0.1		 0.
0.		 0 to 1440
0.0 to 24.0		 no data
WSPD_MF 10-m surface wind speed Wind speed using 18.7 GHz through 37 GHz channels 0.2 0. 0. to 50.0 m/s sun glint, rain, RFI, near sea ice or land (~50 km)
VAPOR Columnar atmospheric water vapor Total gaseous water contained in a vertical column of the atmosphere 0.3 0. 0. to 75.0 mm
(1gm/cm2=10mm)		 heavy rain or near land (~25 km)
CLOUD Columnar cloud liquid water Total cloud liquid water contained in a vertical column of the atmosphere 0.01 -0.05 -0.05 to 2.45 mm near land (~25 km)
RAIN Rain rate Rate of liquid water precipitation 0.1 0. 0. to 25.0 mm/hr near land (~25 km)

The data values between 0 and 250 need to be scaled to obtain meaningful geophysical data. To scale the data, multiply by the scale factors listed in the table above (and add the offset to cloud). Values above 250 have been reserved for the following:

0 to 250 = valid geophysical data
251 = missing wind speed due to rain,
missing water vapor due to heavy rain
252 = sea ice
253 = observations exist, but are bad (not used in composite maps)
254 = no observations
255 = land mass

NOTE: Data from the APDRC have been scaled, but only "land mass" (255 before scale and offset were applied) are flagged as missing.

References: How to Cite These Data:

Continued production of this data set requires support from NASA. RSS needsyou to cite these data when used in your publications so that they can demonstrate the value of this data set to the scientific community. Please include the following statement in the acknowledgement section of your paper:

"SSM/I and SSMIS data are produced by Remote Sensing Systems. Data are available at www.remss.com/missions/ssmi."

An official data citation for use in publications is given below. Insert the appropriate information in brackets.

Wentz, F.J., K.A. Hilburn, D.K. Smith, 2012: Remote Sensing Systems DMSP [SSM/I or SSMIS] [Daily, 3-Day, Weekly, Monthly] Environmental Suite on 0.25 deg grid, Version 7, [indicate subset if used]. Remote Sensing Systems, Santa Rosa, CA. Available online at www.remss.com/missions/ssmi. [Accessed dd mmm yyyy].

Acknowledgements:
These SSM/I and SSMIS data are produced by Remote Sensing Systems with support NASA.

Variables
10 meter Surface Wind Speed [m/s], Atmosphere water vapor content [kg m-2], Atmosphere cloud liquid water content [kg m-2], Rain Rate [mm/hr]
Zonal Global by 0.25 deg
Meridional Global by 0.25 deg
Vertical  
Temporal F16: Oct 2003 to Jan 2020; fF17 Dec 2006 to near present by 1 month or 1 day;
Static? no
Volume Monthly data: 1.2mb/month; 3-day: 1.4mb/day
Serverpublic:
Source http://www.remss.com/missions/ssmi/ 
Acquired Jan 30, 2020
APDRC contact
Supplements http://www.remss.com/missions/ssmi/