resourcE center

Title:

DMSP SSM/I Brightness Temperature Grids for the Polar Regions

Source:

Data Request Services
National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)
CIRES, Campus Box 449
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309
303-492-1834 (Fax: 303-492-2468)

Description:

In June 1987 the U.S. Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) launched its "F8" satellite carrying the first spaceborne microwave imager, the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager, or SSM/I. The SSM/I is a seven channel, four frequency, linearly polarized, passive microwave radiometric sensor that provides routine, daily, all-weather sea ice observations in near-real time.

These CD-ROMs contain daily gridded brightness temperatures (0.1 degree Kelvin precision) for the north and south polar regions, on polar stereographic grids. The Grid cell area is approximately 12.5 km x 12.5 km. Each CD-ROM contains approximately 3 months of data (starting in July 1987). New CD-ROMs are issued as the data becomes available. (Note: CGRER does not have a complete set.)

There are three 5.25" floppies for a PC which contain extraction and sea ice concentration software along with an image display program.