Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM)/Jason-2 and -3: Auxiliary Files, 2008-present (NODC Accession 0044983 and 0122597) -
The Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM)/JASON-2 and JASON-3 are follow-on missions continuing the TOPEX/Poseidon and JASON-1, and were designed to ensure continuity of high quality measurements
for ocean science and to provide operational products for assimilation and forecasting applications. The missions are joint effort by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), France’s Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
OSTM/Jason-2 was launched on 20 June 2008 and reached its nominal repetitive orbit on 4 July 2008. The start of cycle 1 occurred on 12 July 2008.
The development of the JASON-3 mission, and related Ground Segment, is based on a recurrent JASON satellite and ground system with a similar partnership scheme to JASON-2.
The JASON-3 satellite is planned to be launched in 2016. The satellite will be placed in the same orbit as JASON-2.
The Jason-2/3 Auxiliary data files are used to generate Level-2 products and include both static tabular data files and dynamic files which change/grow over time.
Auxiliary files are produced outside of Jason-2/3 but are used in the production of Level-2 products. Filetypes in the Auxiliary data family which are produced by the European Center
for Medium range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) are restricted by ECMWF to the Jason-2/3 project team.
Jason-2 Auxiliary data are archived at the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) as NODC accession number 0044983 (http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/44983).
Jason-2 Auxiliary data will be archived at the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) as NODC accession number 0122597 (http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0122597).