Enhanced resolution Ku-band sigma-0 images of the earth 1996-1997

This NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) data set consists of enhanced
resolution radar backscatter (sigma0) images of the Earth's surface.
Images are generated on polar stereographic and Lambert equal area
grids at a pixel resolution of 4.45 km. The images cover July 1996
through June 1997.

Images are made from NSCAT L1.5 data using the Scatterometer Image
Reconstruction w/filtering (SIRF) algorithm. For highest possible
spatial resolution as well as to ensure full coverage over the images,
multiple orbit passes are combined. Images of sigma0 at 40 deg
incidence angle (A) in dB and the slope of sigma0 versus incidence
angle (B) in dB/deg, along with auxilary parameters, are available.

The second Ku-band wind scatterometer, NSCAT, helped demonstrated the utility
of scatterometer data in land and ice studies. NSCAT made approximately
50 km resolution sigma-0 measurements over an irregularly spaced
grid.

Originally developed to measure winds over the ocean from space,
scatterometer data has proved to be very useful in a variety of
studies including polar ice and tropical vegetation. In particular,
scatterometer measurements have demonstrated utility in monitoring
melting in Greenland, a leading indicator of global warming. Because
the scatterometer radar signal can penetrate the surface, a
scatterometer can resolve subsurface limate related features in snow
pack.

For more information link to the Scatterometer Climate Record
Pathfinder (SCP) at URL "http://www.scp.byu.edu/"

With their rapid global coverage, day or night and all-weather
operation, scatterometers offer a unique tools for long-term climate
studies. The goal of the SCP is to provide scatterometer-based
datasets to researchers involved in climate studies.