Seasat Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer Level 1B Calibrated Sensor

Data Records

BRIEF

SEASAT was launched on June 28, 1978, carrying a five sensor payload, and operated successfully until a power failure brought transmission to a stop on October 10, 1978. Its height and inclination were 791 km and 108.0 deg., respectively.

The Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) is a passive microwave radiometer measuring dual polarized microwave radiation from the earth's surface and atmosphere in 5 frequencies; 6.63, 10.69, 18.0, 21.0 and 37.0 GHz. SMMR Swath width is 600 km.

Global coverage was achieved within the orbital extremes: +77/-72 deg. latitude from July 7 - August 17, 1978 with a ground track equatorial spacing of 165 km. From August 18 - October 10, 1978 (the date that SEASAT terminally malfunctioned) the ground track equatorial spacing was 900 km. From July 7 to August 26, 1978, the ground track was repeated every 17 days. From August 27 to October 10, 1978, the ground track repeated once every 3 days. The measurement temporal resolution is 10/second.

This data set contains LEVEL 1b data consisting of calibrated information about the intensity of radiation emmitted from the sea in a microwave band. The parameter is calibrated brightness temperature. Output is in the form of calibrated Sensor Data Record Tapes.

Related data sets: Seasat SMMR (Levels 1a, 2) Altimeter (Levels 1a, 1b, 2) SASS (Levels 1a, 1b, 2) and VIRR (Levels 1a)

These calibrated Sensor Data Record tapes are available from the JPL DAAC. The JPL DAAC holds the complete Seasat data set.

ATTRIBUTES

Entry_ID: SEASAT_SMMR_LEVEL_1B (MD Identifier: 3314)
 
Temporal Coverage:
     From: 1978-07-07                 TO: 1978-10-10 
 
Geographic Coverage:
     Southwest Extent: 72S,180W    Northeast Extent:  71N,180E
 
Source:
     SEASAT
 
Sensor:
     SMMR>Scanning Multispectral Microwave Radiometer
 
Storage Media:
     381 magnetic tapes
 
Discipline, Subdiscipline:
     EARTH SCIENCE                   > OCEAN
        Physical Oceanography
 
 
Location Keyword:
     GLOBAL
 
Parameter Group, Parameter:
     ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION         > WATER VAPOR
     ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION         > WATER VAPOR
        integrated water vapor
 
     ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION         > WATER VAPOR
        atmospheric liquid water
 
     ATMOSPHERIC DYNAMICS            > PRECIPITATION
        rain rate
 
     ATMOSPHERIC DYNAMICS            > WINDS
        wind speed
 
     EARTH RADIATIVE PROCESSES       > BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE
     OCEAN DYNAMICS                  > TEMPERATURE
        sea surface temperature
 
     OCEAN DYNAMICS                  > WINDS
        wind speed
 
     RADIANCE AND IMAGERY            > MICROWAVE
        Brightness Temperature
 
 
General Keywords:
     AIR-SEA INTERACTION
     ATMOSPHERIC LIQUID WATER
     BRIGHTNESS TEMPERATURE
     EOSDIS
     IDN_NODE GSFC/NODS
     INTEGRATED WATER VAPOR
     LIQUID WATER
     PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
     RAIN
     SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE
     WATER VAPOR
     WIND SPEED
 
Science Review Date: 1992-08-22
 
Revision Date: 1993-09-20
                                             

DATACENTER

Archive: 
   JPL/PHY OCEAN>Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center
   Data Set ID: SEASAT SMMR LEVEL 1B 
 
   Contact: USER SERVICE OFFICE,  
            MS 300-323
            Jet Propulsion Laboratory
            4800 Oak Grove Drive
            Pasadena, CA 91109
            USA
 
            Electronic Mail: INTERNET> PODAAC@SHRIMP.JPL.NASA.GOV
                             NSI/DECNET> SHRIMP::PODAAC
                             OMNET> PO.DAAC.JPL
 
            Phone: (818) 354-0906
                   (818) 393-6720 (fax)
                                             

PERSONNEL

Tech Contact: DIGBY, SUSAN 
              MS 300-323
              Jet Propulsion Laboratory
              4800 Oak Grove Drive
              Pasadena, CA 91109
              USA
 
              Electronic Mail: INTERNET> ssd@shrimp.jpl.nasa.gov
 
              Phone: (818) 354-0151
 
Entry Author: SMITH, ELIZABETH A.
              Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography
              Crittenton Hall
              Old Dominion University
              Norfolk, VA 23529
              USA
 
              Electronic Mail: INTERNET> lizsmith@kuroshio.ccpo.odu.edu
 
              Phone: (804) 683-5550 (FAX)
                     (804) 683-5567
 
 
Information in this entry provided by JPL
                                             

REFERENCE

     Kirwan, A.D., T.J.Ahrens, and G.H.Born, eds., 'SEASAT Special Issue II:
     Scientific Results', JGR, 88(c3), February, 1983.

     Weissman, D.E., ed., 'Special Issue on the SEASAT-1 Sensors' IEEE J.
     Oceanic Engineering, OE-5(2), April 1980.

     Wind, B.B. and G.H. Born, SEASAT Geophysical Data Record (GDR) User's
     Handbook: Scanning Multichannel Microwav
     NASA< Cal. Inst. of Tech., Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA,
     [JPL-622-205-A], [JPL-D-110], August 1982, 87 pages.
                                             

SUP_MENU

   1. Source: SEASAT
  
   2. Sensor: SCAN MULTICHANNEL M/WAVE RAD.>Scanning Multispectral Microwav...