The Sentinel-3 Technical Guide covers an in-depth description of the mission's products and algorithms as well as details on the SLSTR instrument and its performance.

Before reading the Technical Guide, users are advised to read the Sentinel-3 User Guide for high level descriptions of the available instrument modes and products.

Table of contents

• 1 Products and Algorithms
  • 1.1 Level-0 Algorithms and Products
  • 1.1.1 Processing Overview
  • 1.1.2 Products Description
  • 1.2 Level-1 Algorithms and Products
  • 1.2.1 Processing Overview
  • 1.2.1.1 Calibration Mode
  • 1.2.1.2 Observation Mode
  • 1.2.1.3 Level-1A Processing
  • 1.2.1.3.1 Source Packet Processing
  • 1.2.1.3.2 Calibration Coefficients Computation for IR Channels
  • 1.2.1.3.3 Calibration Coefficients Computation for Visible/NIR/SWIR Channels
  • 1.2.1.3.4 Time Calibration
  • 1.2.1.3.5 Geolocation
  • 1.2.1.4 Level-1B Processing
  • 1.2.1.4.1 Signal Calibration
  • 1.2.1.4.2 Time Domain Averaging
  • 1.2.1.4.3 Re-gridding
  • 1.2.1.4.4 Cosmetic Fill
  • 1.2.1.4.5 Surface Flagging
  • 1.2.1.4.6 Cloud Identification
  • 1.2.1.4.7 Conversion of Reflectance to Radiances
  • 1.2.1.4.8 Meteorological Annotations
  • 1.2.2 Level-1 Products Description
  • 1.2.2.1 Calibration Mode
  • 1.2.2.2 Observation Mode
  • 1.2.2.2.1 TIR Brightness Temperature (BT)
  • 1.2.2.2.2 VIS and SWIR Radiances
  • 1.2.3 Level-1 ADFs
  • 1.2.3.1 Processing Control Parameters 
  • 1.2.3.2 SLSTR Level-1 Processing - Observation Mode Parameters
  • 1.3 Level-2 Algorithms and Products
  • 1.3.1 Processing Overview
  • 1.3.1.1 Input Module
  • 1.3.1.1.1 Derivation Pixel-by-Pixel
  • 1.3.1.2 SST Processing
  • 1.3.1.2.1 Calculate Exception Flags
  • 1.3.1.2.2 Calculate SST Values and Variances
  • 1.3.1.2.3 Compute Pseudo-Random Error
  • 1.3.1.3 L2P Processing
  • >1.3.1.3.1 Populate Geographical and Time Variables
  • 1.3.1.3.2 Build L2P Flags Variable
  • 1.3.1.3.3 Calculate SST Box Averages
  • 1.3.1.3.4 Build SST and All Other Variables
  • 1.3.1.4 LST Processing
  • 1.3.1.4.1 Look-up Surface Biome
  • 1.3.1.4.2 Calculate Total Column Water Vapour
  • 1.3.1.4.3 Calculate Vegetation Fraction
  • 1.3.1.4.4 Calculate LST Coefficients and Uncertainty
  • 1.3.1.5 FRP Processing
  • 1.3.1.5.1 Radiometric Scaling and Single-pixel Tests
  • 1.3.1.5.2 Spectral and Spatial Filter
  • 1.3.1.5.3 Absolute Threshold Test
  • 1.3.1.5.4 Background Characterisation
  • 1.3.1.5.5 Contextual Threshold Test
  • 1.3.1.5.6 Desert Test
  • 1.3.1.5.7 Fire Characterisation
  • 1.3.2 Level-2 Products Description
  • 1.3.2.1 Sea Surface Temperature (N2, N3R, N3, D2, D3)
  • 1.3.2.2 Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST)
  • 1.3.2.3 Land Surface Temperature (LST)
  • 1.3.2.4 Fire Radiative Power (FRP)
  • 1.3.3 Level-2 ADFs
  • 1.3.3.1 Processing Control Parameters
  • 1.3.3.2 Common Processing Parameters
  • 1.3.3.3 SST Retrieval Parameters 
  • 1.3.3.4 L2P Processing Parameters
  • 1.3.3.5 LST Processing Parameters 
  • 1.3.3.6 FRP Processing Parameters
• 2 Instrument
  • 2.1 Description
  • 2.2 Calibration
  • 2.3 Specifications
  • 2.4 Spectral Response Function Data
  • 2.5 Quality Reporting
• 3 Calibration and Validation Activities
  • 3.1 Calibration
  • 3.2 Validation
• 4 Appendices
  • 4.1 Glossary
  • 4.2 References