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[Ocean Currents]

Notes on Multisensor 1.1 (AMSR-E, ATSR-2, AVHRR, Reynolds) SST

Notable images

Production

This is a very preliminary version of a merged AMSR-E, ATSR-2, AVHRR, surface_obs product that we are currently working on as part of our contribution to the GODAE High-Resolution SST Pilot Project (GHRSST-PP). The goal of the project is to fully exploit the relative strengths of different sources of estimates of sea surface temperature to produce an optimal combined product.

The AVHRR observations offer the greatest frequency of sampling and wide coverage but suffer from gaps and errors due to atmospheric effects. The ATSR-2 observations offer the greatest accuracy (by viewing the same patch of ocean from multiple angles through the atmosphere) but the sampling frequency and coverage are far from complete. Finally, the AMSR-E microwave radiometer has the coarsest resolution of all, but has the great advantage of being able to see through cloud. In-situ observations are free of atmospheric effects and can be very frequent but are only, of course, available from a limited number of locations.

This preliminary product is to satisfy an immediate need for SST estimates suitable for assimilation into our hydrodynamic model. For this application, being free of large errors is a higher priority than having the greatest accuracy at high resolution. Accordingly, we have constructed a 'patchwork quilt' using the following, listed in preference order:

The 'seasonal anomaly' is the difference from the CARS2000 monthly climatology, linearly interpolated to the day of the SST estimate.

Revision history:

Version 1.0: May 2004. 1993-2001
Version 1.1: July 2004 1993-2004, added AMSR-E.

Enquiries or comments (but please note the word preliminary used above:

Ian Barton

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