AVHRR Pathfinder version 5.0 and 5.1 global 4km sea surface temperature (SST) daily, 5-day, and monthly harmonic climatologies for 1982-2008

This dataset contains global, 4km daily, 5-day, and monthly sea surface temperature climatologies derived from harmonic analysis of the AVHRR Pathfinder Version 5.0 and 5.1 sea surface temperature time series data for 1982-2008. The daily climatology is available as 366 separate files, each representing one day in a climatological year. The 5-day climatology is available as 73 separate files, each representing a 'pentad,' or 5-day period, in a climatological year. The monthly climatology is available as 12 separate files, each representing one month in a climatological year. The files are in netCDF-4 and fully comply with the GHRSST Data Specification 2.0 for Level 4 products. In addition to climatological sea surface temperature, each file contains standard deviation, sea ice concentration, sea ice concentration error, and land mask information.

This accession also includes 'classic', or mean, daily, 5-day, and monthly sea surface temperature climatologies derived from the same Pathfinder time series data. These climatologies were used to gap-fill the harmonic climatologies, and provided the standard deviation information.

In some ice-dominated high-latitude areas, the harmonic climatology is poorly constrained due to uneven distribution throughout the year of the valid measurements. For example, at 67.5S, 73W near the Antarctic coast, temperatures estimated in the harmonic climatology reach almost 40C. In these regions, the classic, averaged climatological values may be more reliable.