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PIFSC Metadata Library > PIFSC OceanWatch (OW) Metadata Portfolio >

OW NASA Aquarius Sea Surface Salinity

Data Set (DS)  |  Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC)
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:36959  |  Updated: March 4, 2026  |  Published / External 
Summary
Item Identification
Keywords
Physical Location
Data Set Info
Support Roles
Extents
Access Info
Distribution Info
URLs
Data Quality
Data Management
Lineage
Catalog Details

Summary

Short Citation
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2026: OW NASA Aquarius Sea Surface Salinity, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/36959.
Full Citation Examples

Abstract

The dataset contains satellite-derived sea-surface salinity measurements collected by means of the Aquarius sensor onboard the NASA/CONAE SAC-D satellite. The data is available at weekly and monthly intervals at a spatial resolution of 1 degrees. The geographic coverage extends globally, and the temporal coverage ranges from 2011-2015.

Purpose

To provide users with historical sea surface salinity data.

Data Access & Downloads

Access Constraints:

None

URLs

Child Items

No Child Items for this record.

Contact Information

Point of Contact
Hui Shi
hui.shi@noaa.gov

Point of Contact
Melanie GA Abecassis
melanie.abecassis@noaa.gov
(808)725-5569

Metadata Contact
Hui Shi
hui.shi@noaa.gov

Metadata Contact
Melanie GA Abecassis
melanie.abecassis@noaa.gov
(808)725-5569

Extents

Geographic Area 1

-180° W, 180° E, 65° N, -50° S

Global

Time Frame 1
2011-08-01 - 2015-04-30

Item Identification

Title: OW NASA Aquarius Sea Surface Salinity
Status: Completed
Abstract:

The dataset contains satellite-derived sea-surface salinity measurements collected by means of the Aquarius sensor onboard the NASA/CONAE SAC-D satellite. The data is available at weekly and monthly intervals at a spatial resolution of 1 degrees. The geographic coverage extends globally, and the temporal coverage ranges from 2011-2015.
Purpose:

To provide users with historical sea surface salinity data.
Supplemental Information:

Ownership: PIFSC

Spatial Resolution: 1 degree

Spatial Keywords: Degrees

Temporal Resolution: Weekly, monthly

Types of Data Collected: Satellite-based sea surface salinity

Collection Method: Satellite remote sensing

Recording Media: Digital

Collection Standards of the Data or Creation Standards of the Data Product: Available

Validation and QC Procedures: Available

QC Standards: Available

Automated QC Procedures: Available

Storage Location: NOAA OceanWatch - Central Pacific

Storage Media: Server

Storage Format: NetCDF

Security and Integrity Plans: Available

Backups: Available

Storage and Security Documentation: Available

Privileges: Open

Restrictions: None

Request Protocol: Via NOAA OceanWatch - Central Pacific Web Site (http://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov)

Contact: OceanWatch Coordinator (http://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov)

Data Distribution Methods: Via NOAA OceanWatch - Central Pacific Web Site (http://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov)

Format of Data/Product on Web Server: NetCDF

Metadata Depository Location: NOAA OceanWatch - Central Pacific

Metadata Description Standard: FGDC (Federal Geographic Data Committee)

Metadata Description Format: NetCDF

Keywords

Theme Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
None Aquarius
None NASA
None ow
None pifsc
None remote sensing
None salinity
None satellite

Temporal Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
None monthly
None Weekly

Spatial Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
None Global

Physical Location

Organization: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
City: Honolulu
State/Province: HI
Country: USA

Data Set Information

Data Set Scope Code: Data Set
Maintenance Frequency: As Needed
Data Presentation Form: Table (digital)
Entity Attribute Overview:

Satellite-derived sea-surface salinity measurements

Support Roles

Data Steward

CC ID: 1392587
Date Effective From: 2025-06-09
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Rykaczewski, Ryan R
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
Email Address: ryan.rykaczewski@noaa.gov

Data Steward

CC ID: 383964
Date Effective From: 2017-01-09
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Howell, Evan A
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9904-4633
Email Address: evan.howell@noaa.gov

Data Steward

CC ID: 383965
Date Effective From: 2015-12-09
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Abecassis, Melanie GA
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
Email Address: melanie.abecassis@noaa.gov
Phone: (808)725-5569

Distributor

CC ID: 383967
Date Effective From: 2012
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization): Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC)
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
ROR: https://ror.org/02apffz65
Email Address: pifsc.info@noaa.gov
Phone: 808-725-5360
URL: https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov
Business Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Metadata Contact

CC ID: 1392588
Date Effective From: 2025-06-09
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Shi, Hui
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
Email Address: hui.shi@noaa.gov

Metadata Contact

CC ID: 383968
Date Effective From: 2015-12-09
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Abecassis, Melanie GA
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
Email Address: melanie.abecassis@noaa.gov
Phone: (808)725-5569

Point of Contact

CC ID: 1392589
Date Effective From: 2025-06-09
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Shi, Hui
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
Email Address: hui.shi@noaa.gov

Point of Contact

CC ID: 383970
Date Effective From: 2015-12-09
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Abecassis, Melanie GA
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
Email Address: melanie.abecassis@noaa.gov
Phone: (808)725-5569
View Historical Support Roles

Extents

Currentness Reference: Ground Condition

Extent Group 1

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1

CC ID: 383974
W° Bound: -180
E° Bound: 180
N° Bound: 65
S° Bound: -50
Description

Global

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

CC ID: 383973
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2011-08-01
End: 2015-04-30

Access Information

Security Class: Unclassified
Data Access Procedure:

Via NOAA OceanWatch - Central Pacific Web Site (http://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov)
Data Access Constraints:

None

Distribution Information

Distribution 1

CC ID: 383981
Download URL: https://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/OceanWatch_aquarius_sss_monthly.html
Distributor:
File Name: Monthly data

URLs

URL 1

CC ID: 383976
URL: https://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/OceanWatch_aquarius_sss_monthly.html
Description:

Monthly salinity

URL 2

CC ID: 383977
URL: https://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov/erddap/griddap/OceanWatch_aquarius_sss_weekly.html
Description:

Weekly salinity

Data Quality

Quality Control Procedures Employed:

Quality control is done by the source of the data (NASA).

Data Management

Have Resources for Management of these Data Been Identified?: Yes
Approximate Percentage of Budget for these Data Devoted to Data Management: Unknown
Do these Data Comply with the Data Access Directive?: Yes
Is Access to the Data Limited Based on an Approved Waiver?: No
Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Dissemination: 1 year
Actual or Planned Long-Term Data Archive Location: Unable to Archive
If To Be Determined, Unable to Archive, or No Archiving Intended, Explain:

Data volume is too large to archive externally.
Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Archiving: 1 year
How Will the Data Be Protected from Accidental or Malicious Modification or Deletion Prior to Receipt by the Archive?:

PIFSC ITS conducts regularly scheduled backups and security checks

Lineage

Lineage Statement:

Data was received from NASA and processed to make it into a format compatible with the Live Access Server and the THREDDS server.

Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 36959
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:36959
Metadata Record Created By: Melanie GA Abecassis
Metadata Record Created: 2017-02-27 22:35+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By: SysAdmin InPortAdmin
Metadata Record Last Modified: 2026-03-04 19:17+0000
Metadata Record Published: 2017-02-27
Owner Org: PIFSC
Metadata Publication Status: Published Externally
Do Not Publish?: N
Metadata Last Review Date: 2017-02-27
Metadata Review Frequency: 1 Year
Metadata Next Review Date: 2018-02-27