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Parametrized Rain Impact Model (PRIM) for SMAP L2 V1.0 Dataset Released

Data Release
Issued
Dec. 21, 2023
Resolved

The Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC) announced the availability of the PI-produced Parametrized Rain Impact Model (PRIM) for Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Level-2 V1.0 dataset produced by the University of Central Florida (UCF) Remote Sensing Lab (CFRSL) in Orlando, Florida, and the University of Washington (UW) Applied Physics Lab (APL) in Seattle, Washington. 

This dataset provides sea water salinity on a 0.25-degree spatial grid and covers March 31, 2015 through October 1, 2021. Additional coverage may be provided in the future depending on the availability of required inputs such as rain rate from the IMERG V6B Final Run product.

Each PRIM data file corresponds to one JPL SMAP Level 2B CAP Sea Surface Salinity V5.0 file, and contains coverage for one orbit on a given day. Its primary parameters include sea surface salinity at the surface (PRIM_S0m), at 1m depth (PRIM_S1m), and at 5m depth (PRIM_S5m), as well as ocean stratification probability (PSS). The data are distributed in netCDF4 file format and comply with CF/ACDD metadata conventions.

The PRIM dataset and user guide are accessible via the dataset landing page. Users are recommended to download the data using the podaac-data-subscriber. We also encourage users to visit the PO.DAAC Cloud Cookbook for detailed information about how to access the data from NASA Earthdata Cloud. View a related animation created by PO.DAAC.

Citation

Jacob et al. 2023. Parameterized Rain Impact Model near-surface salinity and stratification estimates. Ver. 1.0. PO.DAAC, CA, USA. Dataset accessed [YYYY-MM-DD] at https://doi.org/10.5067/PRIMS-2RSW1.

Reference

Drushka, K., Asher, W. E., Ward, B., & Walesby, K. (2016). Understanding the formation and evolution of rain-formed fresh lenses at the ocean surface. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 121(4), 2673-2689.

Please contact PO.DAAC or visit the PO.DAAC on Earthdata Forum with any questions.

Referenced Datasets

Details

Last Updated

Dec. 12, 2025

Published

Dec. 21, 2023

Data Center/Project

Physical Oceanography DAAC (PO.DAAC)