QuikSCAT ESDR Level 2 Ancillary Ocean Surface Fields Version 1.1

This dataset contains model output interpolated in space and time to the ESDR product from the scatterometer on the QuikSCAT satellite, representing the first science quality release of these data (post-provisional after v1.0) funded under the MEaAUREs program. These auxiliary fields are included to complement the scatterometer observations, specifically for the QUIKSCAT_ESDR_L2_WIND_STRESS_V1.1 dataset.. Model variables include: i) ocean surface wind fields from ERA-5 short-term forecast (removed from the analyses times to reduce impacts from assimilated scatterometer retrievals at the beginning of the forecast); ii) estimations of precipitation from the GPM IMERG product; iii) estimation of the surface currents from the GlobCurrent project. The modeled ocean surface auxiliary fields are provided on a non-uniform grid within the native L2 QuikSCAT sampled locations at a nominal 12.5 km pixel resolution. Each file corresponds to a specific orbital revolution (rev) number, which begins at the southernmost point of the ascending orbit. The thumbnail shows data for two orbits - using all orbits for a single day will provide global coverage.

Version 1.1 provides a set of updates and improvements from version 1.0, including: 1) improved variable metadata, 2) removed the GlobCurrent stokes drift variables, and 3) provided data source metadata including DOIs for the ERA-5, IMERGE, and GlobCurrent data sources. The primary purpose of this release is for science evaluation by the NASA International Ocean Vector Winds Science Team (IOVWST).