There are different data products associated with the three levels of processing of the altimeter data:

• Level-0 is the raw telemetered data, geolocated and dated.
• Level-1 is the Level-0 data corrected for instrumental effects.
• Level-2 is the Level-1 data corrected for geophysical effects.

SRAL/MWR Level-1 and Level-2 products are available to the general public.

The SRAL/MWR files are collected into a SAFE container. Level-1 and 2 products are encapsulated in free-standing netCDF 4 product files.

There are different data product types depending on delivery time to users and the available consolidated auxiliary or ancillary data:

• Near Real-Time (NRT): delivered less than 3 hours after data acquisition, and mainly used for marine meteorology and ocean-atmosphere gas transfer studies (and possibly for operational oceanography depending on orbit accuracy)
• Slow Time Critical (STC): delivered within 48 hours after data acquisition, due mainly to the consolidation of some auxiliary or ancillary data (e.g. preliminary restituted orbit data) and the data are mainly used for geophysical studies and operational oceanography.
• Non Time Critical (NTC): typically delivered within 1 month after data acquisition. This additional delay allows consolidation of some auxiliary or ancillary data (e.g. precise orbit data) and the data are mainly used for geophysical studies and operational oceanography.

For further information about SRAL/MWR  products see Product Types.

For further information about delivery time latency see: Near Real-Time or Non-Time Critical.

For further information about SRAL/MWR  products data formats see: Data Formats.