Calibrated microwave brightness readings (AMSR-2)
What it measures. Calibrated microwave brightness readings from the AMSR-2 instrument across multiple frequency channels (from about 10 to 89 GHz), meaning how much microwave energy the sensor detects, at around 10-kilometer detail.
How it's made. Produced from the AMSR-2 radiometer on the GCOM-W1 satellite, with the readings re-calibrated onto a common standard so products built from different instruments stay consistent.
How & where you'd use it. A building-block input mainly used to derive precipitation and other geophysical products. The common calibration makes it most useful as a consistent feed into higher-level products rather than on its own.
What's measured
Coverage & cadence
- Time span2012-07-02 → ongoing
- Measured byGCOM-W1 (AMSR2)
- Processing levelLevel 1
- Spatial extent-180, -90, 180, 90
- StatusCOMPLETE
What you can do with it
- Map air pollutants — NO₂, aerosols, ozone
- Track greenhouse gases and Earth's energy budget
- Feed weather and air-quality analysis
Official description
Version 07 is the current version of the data set. Older versions will no longer be available and have been superseded by Version 07. 1CAMSR2 contains common calibrated brightness temperature from the AMSR2 passive microwave instrument flown on the GCOMW1 satellite. This products contains 6 swaths. Swath 1 has channels 10.65V 10.65H. Swath 2 has channels 18.7V 18.7H. Swath 3 has channels 23.8V 23.8H. Swath 4 has channels 36.5V 36.5H. Swath S5 has 2 high frequency A-Scan channels (89V 89H). Swath S6 has 2 high frequency B-Scan channels (89V 89H). Data for all six swaths is observed in the same revolution of the instrument. High frequency A and high frequency B data are observed in separate feedhorns. All 1C products have a common L1C data structure, simple and generic. Each L1C swath includes scan time, latitude and longitude, scan status, quality, incidence angle, Sun glint angle, and the intercalibrated brightness temperature (Tc). One or more swaths are included in a product. The radiometer data are recalibrated to a common basis so that precipitation products derived from them are consistent.
Get the data
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc") # free Earthdata Login
results = earthaccess.search_data(
short_name="GPM_1CGCOMW1AMSR2",
version="07",
bounding_box=(-122.5, 37.2, -121.8, 37.9), # your area (W,S,E,N)
temporal=("2024-01-01", "2024-12-31"), # your dates
)
files = earthaccess.open(results) # stream straight from GES_DISC Browsing CMR needs no login. Downloading or streaming bytes needs a free Earthdata Login + the earthaccess package. Official links
- Access the data via HTTPS GET DATA
- Access the data via the OPeNDAP protocol. USE SERVICE API
- Use the Earthdata Search to find and retrieve data sets across multiple data centers. GET DATA
- README Document VIEW RELATED INFORMATION
- Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document VIEW RELATED INFORMATION
- Release Notes VIEW RELATED INFORMATION
- GPM and partner sensors anomalous events VIEW RELATED INFORMATION
- FILE SPECIFICATION DOCUMENT VIEW RELATED INFORMATION