FIDUCEO project: Product user guide – Microwave FCDR release 4.1

This document describes the Microwave "easy" FCDR data files of version 4.1 uploaded to CEDA in January 2019. The released data record contains all mission years of SSMT2 on F11, F12, F14, F15, AMSU-B on NOAA15, NOAA16 and NOAA17 and MHS missions (NOAA18, NOAA19, MetopA,-B), i.e. a data record long enough to generate climate data records (CDRs) for climate research. The presented FCDR is a long data record of increased consistency among the instruments compared to the operational data record. The improvements are based on the strict application of the measurement equation as well as dedicated corrections and improvements within the calibration process. The data record is uncertainty quantified, respecting the correlation behaviour of underlying effects. This product user guide gives: 1. An overview of the specifications of the data record; 2. Scientific records on the generation, definition, and algorithms of the data record; 3. Information on limitations of this version of the data record; 4. Technical details on the format and on how to access the data