Transition of OSI SAF Sea-Ice Products from SSMIS to AMSR-2 Data
We would like to inform you of an upcoming change affecting OSI SAF sea-ice products currently based on SSMIS data. Due to the planned discontinuation of SSMIS data provision by the U.S. Department of Defense, these products will be discontinued in September 2026. To mitigate potential SSMIS data gaps and align with EUMETSAT recommendations, the CNES/CLS production teams have transitioned to using AMSR-2 data for OSI SAF sea-ice products, effective early August 2025.
For further details, please refer to the EUMETSAT announcement: Implications of the End of SSMIS Data on OSI SAF Products
Preliminary assessments confirm that the transition from SSMIS to AMSR-2 data has minimal to negligible impact on product quality. While AMSR-2 offers higher spatial resolution, the sea ice concentration derived from both sensors remains consistent overall, with only minor local variations (see figures below).
This change is documented in the metadata of the affected products, as outlined below:
Impact of the Transition from SSMIS to AMSR-2 Data
| Mission | Product Type | Before Transition | After Transition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swot-Nadir | IGDR | sea_ice_concentration:source = "OSISAF SSMIS OSI-401-b" | sea_ice_concentration:source = "OSISAF OSI-408-a" |
| GDR | sea_ice_concentration:source = "OSISAF OSI-438" | ||
| Jason-3 | IGDR | sea_ice_concentration:source = "OSISAF" | sea_ice_concentration:source = "OSISAF OSI-408-a" |
| GDR | sea_ice_concentration:source = "OSISAF OSI-438" | ||
| Saral | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Sea Ice Concentration Comparison in the Southern Hemisphere:
Products 
