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Description

This dataset contains gridded monthly global water storage/height anomalies relative to a time-mean, derived from GRACE and GRACE-FO and processed at JPL using the Mascon approach (RL06.3Mv04). These data are provided in a single data file in netCDF format, and can be used for analysis for ocean, ice, and hydrology phenomena. The data are provided in a single data file in netCDF format, with water storage/height anomalies in equivalent water thickness units (cm). The data are derived from solving for monthly gravity field variations on geolocated spherical cap mass concentration functions, rather than global spherical harmonic coefficients. Additionally, realistic geophysical information is introduced during the computation to intrinsically remove correlated errors. Thus, these Mascon grids do not need to be de-correlated or smoothed, like traditional spherical harmonic gravity solutions.
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The complete Mascon solution consists of 4,551 independent estimates of surface mass change that have been derived using an equal-area 3-degree grid of individual mascons. Please note that this dataset does not correct for leakage errors across coastlines; it is therefore recommended only for users who want to apply their own algorithm to separate between land and ocean mass very near coastlines.
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This RL06.3Mv04 is an updated version of the previous Tellus JPL Mascon RL06.1Mv03. For more information, please visit https://grace.jpl.nasa.gov/data/get-data/jpl_global_mascons/. For a detailed description on the Mascon processing, including the mathematical derivation, implementation of geophysical constraints, and validation, please see Watkins et al., 2015, doi: 10.1002/2014JB011547. This product is intended for expert use only; other users are encouraged to use the CRI-filtered Mascon dataset, which is available here: https://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/dataset/TELLUS_GRAC-GRFO_MASCON_GRID_RL06.3_V4.

Product Summary

Platforms
GRACE-FO ,
GRACE
Instruments
GRACE-FO MWI ,
GRACE-FO LRI ,
GRACE-FO ACC ,
GRACE-FO SCA ,
KBR ,
GRACE LRR ,
GRACE ACC ,
GRACE SCA
Spatial Extent

N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180

Spatial Resolution
0.5 Decimal Degrees x 0.5 Decimal Degrees
Location
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
CARTESIAN
Temporal Extent
2002-04-04
Data Partner
Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA (NASA/JPL/PODAAC) ,
GRACE Tellus, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA (NASA/JPL/GRACE-TELLUS-0001)
Concept ID
C3195502222-POCLOUD
Data State
ACTIVE
Number of Files/Granules
2
Processing Level
3
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Terrestrial Water Storage ,
Ground Water ,
Glacier Mass Balance/Ice Sheet Mass Balance

Citation

Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.

Copy Citation

GRACE-FO, D. N. W. (2024). JPL GRACE and GRACE-FO Mascon Ocean, Ice, and Hydrology Equivalent Water Height JPL RL06.3Mv04 [Data set]. NASA Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/TEMSC-3MJ634 Date Accessed: 2026-01-21

Documents

Variables

Variables are a set of physical properties whose values determine the characteristics or behavior of something. For example, temperature and pressure are variables of the atmosphere. Parameters and variables can be used interchangeably. Variable level attributes provide individual information for each variable.

The Name in this table is the variable name. Fill value indicates missing or undefined data points in a variable. Valid range is the range of values the variable can store. Scale factor is used to increase or decrease the size of an object and can be used to correct for distortion. For questions on a specific variable, please use the Earthdata Forum.

Name Description Units Data Type Fill Value Valid Range Scale Factor
GAD Coastline Resolution Improvement (CRI) filter is NOT applied cm double -99999 -28.09444603124 to 46.229601876783 1
lat latitude degrees_north double N/A -89.75 to 89.75 1
lat_bounds latitude values at the north and south bounds of each pixel degrees_north double N/A N/A 1
lon longitude degrees_east double N/A 0.25 to 359.75 1
lon_bounds longitude values at the west and east bounds of each pixel degrees_east double N/A N/A 1
lwe_thickness Coastline Resolution Improvement (CRI) filter is NOT applied cm double -99999 -855.88043984131 to 198.58287065836 1
mascon_ID Mascon identifier mapped to the grid dimensionless double N/A 1 to 4551 1
time time days since 2002-01-01T00:00:00Z double N/A N/A 1
time_bounds time bounds for each time value, i.e. the first day and last day included in the monthly solution days since 2002-01-01T00:00:00Z double N/A N/A 1
uncertainty 1-sigma uncertainty: not for each 0.5 degree grid cell, but for each 3-degree mascon estimate cm double -99999 0.22740321267317 to 53.344695985601 1
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