Oceansat-2 Scatterometer (OSCAT) Wind Fields Over the Global Oceans

Global 2-day mean wind fields of Oceansat-2 scatterometer (OSCAT) were generated using variational data analysis method for the period 2010-2013. The resultant OSCAT gridded wind data with a resolution of 0.5A degrees A x 0.5A degrees was validated using in situ observations from buoys and Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) for different global ocean basins and wind speed ranges. Globally, a bias of - 0.5 ms(-1) for u and 0.1 ms(-1) for v and root mean square difference (RMSD) of 1.95 ms(-1) for u and 1.7 ms(-1) for v was observed. Inter-comparison in different oceanic basins revealed that the gridded OSCAT data is in concurrence with in situ measurements. Inter-comparison between OSCAT and ASCAT for different seasons showed a correlation greater than 0.75, bias in the range of - 1 to 1 ms(-1) and RMSD less than 2.5 ms(-1); for both u and v wind components on a global scale. The resultant OSCAT gridded winds can be used to generate value added products like wind stress and curl for the global oceans.