New Sea Surface Temperature (SST) ESDR Released 
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The Multi-scale Ultra-high Resolution (MUR) sea surface temperature (SST) analysis data set combines the wide-swath high-resolution features of MODIS data with cloud-resisting (microwave) characteristics of the AMSR-E data, both of which are NASA data sets. MUR has an unprecedentedly high spatial resolution, as indicated by its highest wavenumber spectral contents among the existing SST analysis data sets (Chin et al, 2011). Such high resolution SST information can facilitate scientific studies on effects of SST gradients on local wind (O'Neill et al, 2010), ocean upwelling along the cool wakes behind hurricanes (Walker et al, 2005), and others. The SST gradients and frontal features from MUR are indeed stronger and more vivid than those from other SST analysis data, while MUR has made significant improvements in data coverage over regions prone to cloud-induced blockage (Vazquez et al 2011). MUR's usage statistics were ranked fifth by volume and ninth by distinct-user count (among over 600 of PO.DAAC products) in June 2011, which was only the third month of release through PO.DAAC. The MUR daily global SST analysis data set is receiving an open, independent, and comprehensive validation against other SST ESDRs by NOAA's SST Quality Monitor (SQUAM) program (Dash et al, 2011). MUR compares well in the traditional match-up validation against in-situ data. Issues among all satellite-based SST analysis products include sensor-bias, diurnal warming and sub-daily sampling, and lake temperature accuracy, all of which are being improved upon in MUR through activities in the Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST), an international collaboration among the SST data producers and distributors. MUR is being upgraded to a new version adopting the latest GHRSST data format (GDS2.0). ---------- References and URLs featuring MUR: GHRSST Level 4 MUR Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis Multi-scale Ultra-high Resolution Sea Surface Temperature Year: 2011 Download: |
