CFOSAT SWIM Level-2 data in BUFR available soon

CFOSAT (Chinese-French Oceanography Satellite) is a joint mission of the Chinese (CNSA) and French (CNES) space agencies with the goal to monitor the ocean surface winds and waves and to provide information on related ocean and atmospheric science and applications.

SWIM, the Surface Waves Investigation and Monitoring instrument onboard CFOSAT, is mainly dedicated to the measurement of ocean waves directional spectra and surface wind velocities.

CFOSAT SWIM nadir data in BUFR format will start being distributed on EUMETCast from 19 January 2022, complementing the existing SWIM Level-2 NRT data stream in netCDF format.

As the data is similar to altimeter data from Jason-3 or Sentinel-6, the Sentinel-6 BUFR template was chosen for the encoding. The main BUFR sequence of this template is 340019.

Example filename

W_XX-EUMETSAT-Darmstadt,SURFACE+SATELLITE,CFO+NRT+SWIM_C_EUMP_20220110113035_OGDR_01.bin

Data volume is less than 100MB per day (in 14-15 files).

The BUFR data will be distributed on EUMETCast on the same channels as the netCDF data.

EUMETCast Europe, High Volume Service Transponder 1

Channel: E1H-TPL-1
Multicast address: 224.223.223.2
PID: 601

EUMETCast Terrestrial

Channel: T01-TPL-1
Multicast address: 232.223.222.35

Users already registered to receive CFOSAT SWIM Level 2 Products via EUMETCast will receive the new nadir data in BUFR format automatically. Other users wishing to receive these data should register via our Earth Observation Portal.

Note: Distribution of the nadir data via GTS is foreseen at a later stage. The distribution of the off-nadir ocean dwell data in BUFR format is also planned at a later stage when the applicable BUFR template has been defined.

Further information on the CFOSAT mission and the SWIM instrument.

For any questions, contact our User Service Helpdesk.