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Satellite

Satellite-derived datasets grouped by what they observe: precipitation, clouds, radiation, temperature and atmospheric composition; sea surface temperature, winds, ocean colour, salinity and sea level; sea ice and ice sheets; and land. Satellite datasets listed under other tabs appear here too.

Tick two or more boxes on the left to compare them; click a column header to sort.

About resolution values — please read
  • Provided resolution is the grid spacing you download from the main provider, not the model's native resolution. The same dataset can come on different grids from different providers or products, so always check the grid of the file you actually downloaded.
  • km values are approximations at the equator (1° ≈ 111 km). Longitude spacing shrinks with cos(latitude): at 60° it is half (0.25° ≈ 14 km), so "28 km" is not 28 km everywhere.
  • Gaussian grids have uneven latitude spacing, and ocean model grids (tripolar, curvilinear) vary from place to place. Grids with different latitude and longitude spacing are written as 0.5°×0.625° (lat × lon).
  • Polar-stereographic and EASE2 grids of sea-ice satellite products are defined in km; the degree value in brackets is a simple conversion. The NSIDC polar stereographic grid matches its nominal spacing only at 70° latitude.
  • Grid spacing is not the size of the smallest feature actually resolved (effective resolution). Features are typically resolved only at several times the grid spacing, and interpolating to a finer grid adds no information.
  • Temporal resolution is the shortest interval provided. Intervals and whether a value is instantaneous, mean or accumulated differ between variables — see 'Available variables' on each dataset page.

Precipitation

Precipitation estimated from satellite microwave and infrared observations. Gauge adjustment and latency differ between products.

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
GSMaPSatellite product1998-01 ~ presentQuasi-global11 km (0.1°)1 hAvailable
GPCP V3.3 ↔Observation-based analysis1983-01 ~ presentGlobal56 km (0.5°)1 dayUpdate delayed
GPM IMERG V07 ↔Satellite product1998-01 ~ presentGlobal11 km (0.1°)30 minUpdate delayed
CMORPH CDRSatellite product1998-01 ~ presentQuasi-global8 km (0.073°)30 minAvailable
PERSIANN-CDRSatellite product1983-01 ~ presentQuasi-global28 km (0.25°)1 dayAvailable
CHIRPSObservation-based analysis1981-01 ~ presentQuasi-global6 km (0.05°)1 dayAvailable

Clouds & radiation

Satellite observations of cloud properties and top-of-atmosphere and surface radiation.

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
CERES EBAF Ed4.2.1 ↔Satellite product2000-03 ~ presentGlobal111 km (1°)1 monthAvailable
CERES SYN1degSatellite product2000-03 ~ presentGlobal111 km (1°)1 hAvailable
MODIS Cloud (MOD06·MOD35)Satellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal1 km (0.01°)1 dayBeing replaced
VIIRS Cloud (CLDPROP·CLDMSK)Satellite product2002-07 ~ presentGlobal0.75 km (0.007°)1 dayAvailable
CLARA-A3Satellite product1979-01 ~ presentGlobal28 km (0.25°)1 dayAvailable
PATMOS-xSatellite product1981-08 ~ presentGlobal11 km (0.1°)1 dayAvailable
NOAA OLRSatellite product1974-06 ~ presentGlobal111 km (1°)1 dayAvailable
GK-2A (GEO-KOMPSAT-2A)Satellite product2019-07 ~ presentAsia2 km (0.02°)10 minAvailable
ISCCP-HSatellite product1983-07 ~ 2017-06Global111 km (1°)3 hDiscontinued

Temperature & water vapour

Atmospheric temperature and water-vapour profiles and layer-mean temperatures from satellite microwave, infrared and GNSS radio-occultation observations.

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
AIRS V7Satellite product2002-08 ~ presentGlobal50 km (0.45°)1 dayAvailable
Aura MLSSatellite product2004-08 ~ presentGlobal165 km (1.5°)1 dayAvailable
MSU/AMSU (RSS·UAH·STAR)Satellite product1978-11 ~ presentGlobal278 km (2.5°)1 monthAvailable
GNSS-RO (COSMIC-2·ROM SAF)Satellite product2001-09 ~ presentGlobal555 km (5°)1 dayAvailable
RSS SSM/I·SSMISSatellite product1987-07 ~ 2026-09Global28 km (0.25°)1 dayDiscontinued

Aerosols & atmospheric composition

Satellite aerosol optical depth and atmospheric trace gases such as ozone, NO₂, SO₂, CO, CH₄ and CO₂.

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
MODIS Aerosol (MOD04·MOD08)Satellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal10 km (0.09°)1 dayBeing replaced
VIIRS Aerosol (AERDB·AERDT)Satellite product2012-03 ~ presentGlobal6 km (0.05°)1 dayAvailable
MISRSatellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal4.4 km (0.04°)1 dayUpdate delayed
Aura OMISatellite product2004-10 ~ presentGlobal24 km (0.22°)1 dayAvailable
OCO-2Satellite product2014-09 ~ presentGlobal2 km (0.02°)1 dayAvailable
EarthCARESatellite product2024-08 ~ presentGlobal1 km (0.01°)1 dayAvailable
TROPOMISatellite product2018-04 ~ presentGlobal5.5 km (0.05°)1 dayAvailable
GEMS (GEO-KOMPSAT-2B)Satellite product2020 ~ presentAsia7 km (0.06°)1 hAvailable
GOSAT (GOSAT-2·GOSAT-GW)Satellite product2009-04 ~ presentGlobal10 km (0.09°)1 dayAvailable
CALIPSOSatellite product2006-06 ~ 2023-06Global5 km (0.045°)1 dayDiscontinued

Sea surface temperature

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
GHRSST MUR v4.1Observation-based analysis2002-06 ~ presentGlobal1 km (0.01°)1 dayAvailable
ESA SST CCI CDR v3 ↔Satellite product1980-01 ~ presentGlobal6 km (0.05°)1 dayAvailable
AVHRR Pathfinder SST v5.3Satellite product1981-08 ~ 2023-12Global4 km (0.04°)1 dayDiscontinued

Ocean surface wind

10 m ocean surface winds from scatterometers and microwave radiometers.

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
CCMP V3.1Observation-based analysis1993-01 ~ presentQuasi-global28 km (0.25°)6 hAvailable
Metop ASCAT ocean windsSatellite product2007-01 ~ presentGlobal25 km (0.23°)1 dayAvailable

Ocean colour

Ocean optical properties from ocean-colour satellites, such as chlorophyll-a concentration and remote-sensing reflectance.

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
MODIS Ocean (color and SST)Satellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal4.6 km (0.04°)1 dayBeing replaced
VIIRS Ocean (color and SST)Satellite product2012-01 ~ presentGlobal4.6 km (0.04°)1 dayAvailable
PACE OCI Ocean ColorSatellite product2024-03 ~ presentGlobal4.6 km (0.04°)1 dayAvailable
ESA OC-CCI v6.0Satellite product1997-09 ~ presentGlobal4 km (0.04°)1 dayAvailable
Copernicus-GlobColourSatellite product1997-09 ~ presentGlobal4 km (0.04°)1 dayAvailable
GOCI-II (GEO-KOMPSAT-2B)Satellite product2020-10 ~ presentAsia0.25 km (0.0023°)1 hAvailable
GOCI (COMS)Satellite product2011-04 ~ 2021-03Asia0.5 km (0.005°)1 hDiscontinued

Sea surface salinity

Sea surface salinity from L-band microwave satellites.

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
SMAP sea surface salinity (RSS and JPL)Satellite product2015-04 ~ presentGlobal70 km (0.25°)8 daysAvailable
SMOS sea surface salinity (ESA, CATDS, BEC)Satellite product2010-01 ~ presentGlobal25 km (0.23°)1 dayAvailable
ESA SSS CCI v5.5Satellite product2010-01 ~ 2023-12Global50 km (0.25°)7 daysAvailable

Sea level & waves

Sea surface height and significant wave height from satellite altimetry.

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
DUACS ↔Satellite product1993-01 ~ presentGlobal14 km (0.125°)1 dayAvailable
SWOT KaRIn (L2 LR SSH · L3)Satellite product2023-03 ~ presentQuasi-global2 km (0.02°)1 dayAvailable
ESA Sea State CCI v4Satellite product1991-08 ~ 2023-12Quasi-global111 km (1°)1 dayAvailable

Sea ice

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
OSI SAF (sea ice concentration) ↔Satellite product1978-10 ~ presentBoth poles25 km (0.23°)1 dayAvailable
OSI SAF (sea ice drift) ↔Satellite product1991-01 ~ presentBoth poles62.5 km (0.56°)1 dayAvailable
Polar Pathfinder ↔Satellite product1978-11 ~ presentBoth poles25 km (0.23°)1 dayAvailable
ICESat-2 ↔Satellite product2018-10 ~ presentBoth poles25 km (0.23°)1 dayAvailable
Sea Ice Index ↔Satellite product1978-10 ~ presentBoth poles25 km (0.23°)1 dayAvailable
NOAA/NSIDC CDR ↔Satellite product1978-10 ~ presentBoth poles25 km (0.23°)1 dayAvailable
ASI AMSR2 (Univ. Bremen)Satellite product2002-06 ~ presentBoth poles6.25 km (0.06°)1 dayAvailable
CryoSat-2 ↔Satellite product2010-10 ~ presentArctic25 km (0.23°)7 daysAvailable
CS3SMOS ↔Satellite product2023-10 ~ presentBoth poles12.5 km (0.11°)7 daysAvailable
SMOS thin sea ice thicknessSatellite product2010-10 ~ presentBoth poles12.5 km (0.11°)1 dayAvailable
ESA CCI ↔Satellite product1972-12 ~ 2024-04Both poles25 km (0.23°)1 dayAvailable
CS2SMOS ↔Satellite product2010-11 ~ 2025-04Arctic25 km (0.23°)7 daysDiscontinued

Glaciers & ice sheets

Satellite observations of glacier and ice-sheet velocity, elevation and mass change.

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
GRACE / GRACE-FO ↔Satellite product2002-04 ~ presentGlobal56 km (0.5°)1 monthAvailable
ITS_LIVESatellite product1982 ~ presentGlobal0.12 km (0.001°)1 dayAvailable

Land

DatasetTypePeriodCoverageProvided resolutionIntervalStatus
ESA CCI Soil Moisture ↔Satellite product1978-11 ~ 2024-12Global28 km (0.25°)1 dayAvailable
ESA CCI / C3S Land Cover ↔Satellite product1992-01 ~ 2022-12Global0.3 km (0.0028°)1 yearUpdate delayed
ESA CCI Snow ↔Satellite product1979-01 ~ 2023-12Global1 km (0.01°)1 dayAvailable
GRACE / GRACE-FO ↔Satellite product2002-04 ~ presentGlobal56 km (0.5°)1 monthAvailable
MODIS Burned Area (MCD64A1) ↔Satellite product2000-11 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)1 monthBeing replaced
MODIS LAI/FPAR (MCD15) ↔Satellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)8 daysBeing replaced
MODIS Land Cover (MCD12) ↔Satellite product2001-01 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)1 yearBeing replaced
MODIS LST (MOD11·MOD21) ↔Satellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal1 km (0.01°)1 dayBeing replaced
MODIS Snow (MOD10) ↔Satellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)1 dayBeing replaced
VIIRS Burned Area (VNP64A1) ↔Satellite product2012-03 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)1 monthBeing replaced
VIIRS LAI/FPAR (VNP15) ↔Satellite product2012-01 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)8 daysAvailable
VIIRS LST (VNP21) ↔Satellite product2012-01 ~ presentGlobal1 km (0.01°)1 dayAvailable
VIIRS Snow (VNP10) ↔Satellite product2012-01 ~ presentGlobal0.375 km (0.0034°)1 dayAvailable
MODIS NDVI/EVI (MOD13) ↔Satellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal0.25 km (0.0025°)16 daysBeing replaced
VIIRS NDVI/EVI (VNP13) ↔Satellite product2012-01 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)16 daysAvailable
MODIS BRDF/Albedo (MCD43) ↔Satellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)1 dayBeing replaced
MODIS ET (MOD16) ↔Satellite product2000-02 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)8 daysBeing replaced
SMAP (L3·L4) ↔Satellite product2015-03 ~ presentGlobal9 km (0.083°)3 hAvailable
VIIRS BRDF/Albedo (VNP43) ↔Satellite product2012-01 ~ presentGlobal0.5 km (0.005°)1 dayAvailable
CLMS LAI/FAPAR/FCOVER ↔Satellite product1999-01 ~ presentGlobal0.3 km (0.003°)10 daysAvailable
GLASS ↔Satellite product1981-01 ~ presentGlobal6 km (0.05°)1 dayAvailable
GIMMS NDVI ↔Satellite product1982-01 ~ 2022-12Global9 km (0.083°)15 daysDiscontinued
ESA WorldCover ↔Satellite product2020-01 ~ 2021-12Global0.01 km (0.00008°)1 yearDiscontinued

↔ Also listed in another section.