Each Level-3 binned data product consists of the accumulated data for all Level-2 products, for the specified instrument and resolution, corresponding to a period of one day, 8 days, a calendar month, or a calendar year. The data are stored in a representation of a global, equal-area grid whose grid cells, or "bins," are approximately 81 km2.
Each given time binning period (Day, 8Day, Month,and Year) has a set of files in which the data products are stored. These files include a main file containing all product-level metadata and data for each bin that are common to all the binned geophysical parameters. In addition, each product includes 10 subordinate files (class = DataSubordinate), each of which contains data of one binned geophysical parameter for all bins. Subordinate files must be read in conjunction with the associated main file.
An example of a daily product's name is:
S1998001.L3b_DAY.main
S1998001.L3b_DAY.x00
S1998001.L3b_DAY.x01
.
.
.
S1998001.L3b_DAY.x10
Although it is not necessary to know the contents of the subordinate files in order to use them (HDF software will automatically access them as needed when using the main file), the files numbered 00 to 11 contain the _sum and _sum_sq fields of the following geophysical parameters:
