AMSR Unified
Overview
The NSIDC DAAC Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer Unified (AMSR Unified) collection includes passive microwave data products on snow, sea ice, soil moisture, vegetation water content, and brightness temperature. The AMSR-U collection has been designed to incorporate data from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System Sensor (AMSR-E) sensor and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer2 (AMSR2) sensor.
From 2002 to 2011, AMSR-E flew onboard NASA's Aqua satellite, collecting passive microwave measurements of land and ocean parameters related to global water and energy cycles. You can learn more about the AMSR-E instrument by visiting the NSIDC DAAC AMSR-E collection.
AMSR2 has operated since 2012 onboard the Global Change Observation Mission 1st - Water "SHIZUKU" (GCOM-W1) satellite. The GCOM-W1 mission aims to establish a global, long-term observation system to improve understanding of the mechanisms of climate and water cycle variations. AMSR2 measures microwave emissions from the Earth's surface and atmosphere. It collects both daytime and nighttime observations of Earth, observing more than 99 percent of the planet every two days. For more information about AMSR2, refer to the About AMSR2 - Observing System on the GCOM-W1 website.
As a follow-on instrument to AMSR-E, AMSR2 offers enhanced spatial resolution, better calibration, and improved mitigation of radio-frequency interference. Because AMSR2 has been designed as a follow-on mission to AMSR-E, it makes observations that are spatially consistent, easily continuing the data record. Combining reprocessed AMSR-E data with subsequent AMSR2 observations provides a nearly continuous record dating back to 2002. As new data products become available, they are added to the collection.
The NSIDC DAAC distributes daily, weekly, and monthly Level-2B and Level-3 AMSR Unified products.
While the NSIDC DAAC archives the standard science quality AMSR2 data as part of the AMSR Unified data collection, near real-time versions of many of these products are available from the AMSR2 SIPS at NASA's Global Hydrometeorology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center (GHRC DAAC). These products are part of NASA's Land, Atmosphere Near-real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) program. AMSR2 LANCE data have a shorter latency period than the standard products, are generally produced within three hours of satellite observation, and are only archived for seven days. They are designed to meet the needs of time-sensitive applications, such as numerical weather and climate prediction, forecasting and monitoring natural hazards, agriculture, air quality, and disaster relief. Users may notice some differences between the standard and near-real-time version of products. If latency is not a primary concern, users are encouraged to use the standard science products archived at the NSIDC DAAC, which are created using the best available ancillary, calibration, and ephemeris information.
All AMSR2 near real-time data sets can be viewed and downloaded from the AMSR2 LANCE website.
The NSIDC DAAC also hosts two other data collections derived from other AMSR sensors that have flown aboard polar-orbiting satellites making global observations. The other collections include:
- The AMSR-E data collection comes from the AMSR-E sensor that flew onboard NASA’s Aqua satellite, observing interactions between snow and ice, and Earth's atmosphere and ocean.
- The NSIDC DAAC AMSR/ADEOS-II data collection includes passive microwave measurements from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer Sensor (AMSR). Observations cover early 2003 through October 24, 2003. This collection includes Level-1A and Level-2A products containing sensor counts and brightness temperature
Parameters
Brightness temperature, sea ice concentration, sea ice motion, precipitation, snow depth, snow water equivalent, soil moisture, vegetation water content
Geographic coverage
Global
Sensor(s) and satellite(s)
AMSR2 flies onboard the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Global Change Observation Mission 1st - Water "SHIZUKU" (GCOM-W1) satellite, which launched on May 18, 2012.
AMSR-E flew onboard NASA's Aqua satellite, which launched on May 2, 2002, and ceased operations on December 4, 2011.
Related collection(s)
Explore AMSR-U images
