Satellite data are grouped by region and by year. Currently there are two types of measurements: SST and surface Chl-a concentration. Under each year these data are composited over different time intervals: day, 5-day, 15-day, month.

If possible, similar data from multiple sensors are merged in order to increase coverage (reduce missing data due to clouds).

The files are identified by sensor or variable and compositing interval. The first letter of the file identifies the sensor/variable and is the following:

 

 

The full-resolution (1-km) datasets with numerical values are in HDF. Reduced and annotated datasets are in both HDF and PNG. Attributes within HDF files provide information about the data. HDF files can be read with a number of programs.

 

Net Primary Production (NPP) is currently presented only for the California Current region as monthly means using the model of Behrenfeld and Falkowski (Behrenfeld, M.J., P.G. Falkowski, Limnol. Oceanogr., 42, 1-20, 1997).

 

The inputs are monthly means of Chl-a, PAR and SST. Units are mg C/m^2/day. Options are: photoinhibition present, PbOpt temperature model of Behrenfeld-Falkowski (1997), euphotic zone depth model of Morel and Berthon (1989). More details are in Kahru, M., B.G. Mitchell, Influence of the El Niño – La Niña cycle on satellite-derived primary production in the California Current. Geophys. Res. Let., 29(17), doi: 10.1029/2002GL014963, 2002.

 

Both HDF and PNG images are given. PAR data are from SeaWiFS. SST data are from AVHRR-Pathfinder and MODIS-Aqua (from 07/2002 to present), Chl-a data are from SeaWiFS (09/1997 to 06/2002) and from merged SeaWiFS-MODIS-Aqua (07/2002 to present). NPP filenames using SeaWiFS Chl-a data start with S and those using merged Chl-a data start with A.

 

For more information please send email to mkahru-AT-ucsd.edu (replace -AT- with @).