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 0.5° × 0.5° 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.