ENVISAT AATSR full resolution dual-view geolocated L2 swath SSTskin data set in GHRSST-PP L2P format for 2006-02-14 (NCEI Accession 0004248)

The Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) onboard ESA's Envisat spacecraft is designed to meet the challenging task of monitoring and detecting climate change. It builds on the success of its predecessor instruments on the ERS-1 and ERS-2 satellites, and will lead to a 15+ year record of precise and accurate global Sea- Surface Temperature (SST) measurements, thereby making a valuable contribution to the long-term climate record. The exceptionally high radiometric accuracy and stability of AATSRdata are achieved through a number of unique features. A comprehensive pre-launch calibration programme, combined with continuous in-flight calibration, ensures that the data are continually corrected for sensor drift and degradation. A 'dual-view' technique offering improved atmospheric correction is used to derive SSTskin observations. The accuracies achieved with this configuration are further enhanced by using low-noise infrared detectors, cooled to their optimum operating temperature by a pair of Stirling-cycle coolers. With its high-accuracy, high-quality imagery and channels in the visible, near-infrared and thermal wavelengths, AATSR data will support many applications in addition to oceanographic and climate research, including a wide range of land-surface, cryosphere and atmospheric studies. See Llewellyn-Jones et al (2001) ESA bulletin 105, Feb 2001 for a full description. L2P data products are then derived following the GHRSST-PP Data Processing Specification (GDS) version 1.5 avaialable from http://ghrsst-pp.metoffice.com/documents/GDS-v1.0-rev1.5.pdf. Single Sensor Error Statistics (SSES) are provided based on the GDS-v1.5 specification.