Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM) /Jason-2: Near Real-Time Altimetry Validation System (NRTAVS) QA Reports (NODC Accession 0044984)

This accession contains the descriptions for the OSTM/Jason-2 Near Real-Time Altimetry Validation System Quality Reports, which are served through the NOAA/NESDIS Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System (CLASS): http://www.class.noaa.gov

OSTM/Jason-2 is a follow-on mission to Jason-1, which takes over and continues the TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1 missions. OSTM/Jason-2 involves Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), NASA and 2 new partners: the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) and NOAA in order to 1) ensure continuity of high quality measurements for ocean science, and 2) provide operational products for assimilation and forecasting applications. OSTM/Jason-2 was launched on 20 June 2008 and reached its nominal repetitive orbit on 4 July 2008. The start of cycle 1 occurred on 12 July 2008.

These files provide the quality reports from the Near Real-Time Altimetry Validation System. Reports are daily and cover the previous 10-day period. All members of the Quality Assurance reports family were made available on 15 December, 2008.

Other data/products associated with OSTM/Jason-2 are also provided through CLASS. They are: Level-2 Geophysical Data Records(GDRs), ancillary and auxiliary data files used to generate Level-2 products, orbit information of JASON-2 satellite and telemetry data. The descriptions of these data products can be accessed in other accessions at NODC.