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SeaDAS

Software History & Major Events

The first beta version of SeaDAS was released in 1994 and the software has been available since then. Version 7 marked a major change as the software was forked from the BEAM software.

The accompanying content displays software releases by year. The official OceanColor Forum announcement for the release and software code are linked, where available. An additional repository of code and instructions can be found at the Ocean Data Science Software Repositories page.


SeaDAS 8.4.0
September 29, 2023
SeaDAS 8.4.0 adds new tools: Angular View, Image Animator (band images, angular view plots, spectrum view plots), Annotation Metadata Layer, and the Soft Button user assignable tool. The Color Bar Legend Tool has been revised to support band-dependent configurations, metadata annotation, and dynamic orientation to scene image. Various other minor additions and bug fixes have been implemented. This version supports Mac OS Ventura and the Mac m1 chip. SeaDAS 8.4.0 uses a modification of unreleased versions of ESA SNAP 10.0.0 and ESA Optical Toolbox 10.0.0.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 8.3.10
June 14, 2023
SeaDAS 8.3.10 is an emergency and temporary release only for Mac OS which enables SeaDAS to be run on Mac OS 13 (Ventura). The latest Mac OS Ventura deprecated and stopped supporting some of SeaDAS's underlying Java and Netbeans software causing the SeaDAS GUI menu and popup tool windows to no longer work in SeaDAS 8.3.0 and in earlier versions of SeaDAS 8. SeaDAS 8.3.10 contains upgrades which fix this issue on Mac OS Ventura. SeaDAS 8.3.10 does contain new tools and new features intended for the upcoming SeaDAS 8.4.0 which may not be complete. It also contains help pages which have not been updated since SeaDAS 8.3.0. SeaDAS 8.3.10 does not tie to a specific SNAP release version, but SeaDAS 8.4.0 is planned for release later this summer and will tie to SNAP 10 after it's release.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 8.3.0
December 12, 2022
SeaDAS 8.3.0 adds support to many files (PACE-OCI L1C files, SPEXOne files, HARP2 L1C files, NSIDC files, OB.DAAC level-3 mapped files), adds major revisions to Statistics Tool, masking support to Reproject Tool, restores Time Series Tool (from SeaDAS 7.5.3), uses docker image to facilitate Windows processing, fixes L2gen GUI bugs and other bugs. SeaDAS 8.3.0 is now considered to have essentially all the tools/capabilities of it's legacy SeaDAS 7.5.3 (which will no longer be supported). SeaDAS 8.3.0 uses a modification of ESA SNAP (version 9.0.3) and ESA S3TBX (version 9.0.3).
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 8.2.0
March 23, 2022
SeaDAS 8.2.0 adds Mapgen Tool, major revision to multilevel_processor, fixes L2gen GUI bugs, fixes file directory fields in the OCSSW GUIs, adds memory configuration capabilities, and other bug fixes. Uses modifications of ESA SNAP (version 8.0.9) and ESA S3TBX (version 8.0.6).
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 8.1.0
June 24, 2021
SeaDAS 8.1.0 adds full support for the HawkEye mission and full processing support for the SGLI missions. Several bug fixes were completed and modifications of ESA SNAP (to version 8.0.3) and ESA S3TBX (to version 8.0.3) were put in place to improve the SeaDAS Platform and the Sentinel-3 Toolbox.
Release Notes | Download

To process OCSSW in a Windows environment, please use these client server instructions and download these files:
.jar | config

SeaDAS 8.0.0
February 1, 2021
SeaDAS 8.0.0 (Beta) contains the SeaDAS Toolbox 1.0.0. This is a significant modification over SeaDAS 7.5.3 regarding the core components and inner framework of the GUI.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.5.3
February 27, 2019
Fixes remote server bugs involved in running on Windows.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.5.2
February 14, 2019
Adds OBPG science processing capability for the Aquarius mission.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.5.1
July 5, 2018
Adds OBPG science processing capability for the Aquarius mission.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.5
May 9, 2018
Contains several updates to the GUI/GPT, including a significant update to the Statistics Tool. This version also features OPBG Science Processing Code (OCSSW) support for Windows and bug fixes.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.4
March 6, 2017
Uses the https web protocol for acquiring files. NASA no longer supports the http protocol so previous versions of SeaDAS can no longer retrieve files from NASA. Additionally, SeaDAS 7.4 adds new options and preferences for color palettes, color bars, map grid lines, and RGB image creation.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.3.2
May 26, 2016
The science processing code has been updated to reflect changes recently implemented in production, provide bug fixes and support for the R2014.0 reprocessing for SeaWiFS and MODIS-Terra as well as VIIRS SST R2016.0.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.3.1
February 24, 2016
Adds a few new features, and includes changes to existing features and fixes for reported issues. The science processing code has been updated to reflect changes recently implemented in production, provide bug fixes and support for the R2014.0 reprocessing for SeaWiFS.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.3
December 23, 2015
Built atop a slightly modified BEAM 5.0.1 version. The science processing code has been updated to reflect changes recently implemented in production, provide bug fixes and support for the R2014.0 reprocessing for SeaWiFS.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.2
May 6, 2015
Includes several new and updated features, as well as bug fixes.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.1
October 3, 2014
This significant release features a new user interface with cleaner, simpler and more attractive layout which makes finding and using tools easier. Frequently used tools have default behavior that reduces user operation time. It also includes new tools, such as bathymetry and mask tool and contour operator tool. In addition to new features, it includes bug fixes and feature enhancements.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.0.2
January 14, 2014
Includes a number of bug fixes and feature enhancements for the SeaDAS product readers and processing GUI interfaces.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.0.1
October 22, 2013
Includes a number of bug fixes and feature enhancements for the SeaDAS product readers, processing code, and GUI interface. This update includes several minor changes made to the underlying BEAM code (version 4.11.1).
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.0
April 22, 2013
First official release of the new interface for SeaDAS. This release includes all of the final processing programs (and source code) used for the MODIS-Aqua Reprocessing 2013.0. There is a significant change to the manner in which the processing components are delivered and updated.
Release Notes | Download
SeaDAS 7.0-beta
June 29 2012
This is our first release of the new interface for SeaDAS. This is a major transition from an IDL-based interface to a JAVA interface that was developed in collaboration with Brockmann Consult, the German company that develops the BEAM image display and processing tool for many of ESA’s missions.
Release Notes | Downloads
SeaDAS 6.4
December 19, 2012
This update affects the data processing code distributed with SeaDAS versions 6.4 and 7.0 (beta).
Release Notes
SeaDAS 6.3
November 1, 2011
This update includes a number of bug fixes for the SeaDAS GUI interface. Additionally, all of the processing scripts have been written in python. These python scripts replace the CSH scripts distributed with previous versions of SeaDAS. The CSH scripts are no longer supported.
Release Notes
SeaDAS 6.2 (Update 02b)
July 6, 2011
This update (update_02b) includes the updated static data files for MODIS-Aqua processing necessary to match the processing results of the recent mini-reprocessing.
Release Notes
SeaDAS 6.2 (Update 02a)
April 15, 2011
There was an issue in the update_02 release that affected the load/display of L3 bin files within SeaDAS. This update corrects that problem.
Announcement
SeaDAS 6.2 (Update 02)
April 8, 2011
This update includes several bug fixes and minor changes. In addition, there are now python versions of several processing scripts.
Announcement
SeaDAS 6.2
January 13, 2011
This update to includes several bug fixes.
Announcement
SeaDAS 6.1
February 26, 2011
Contains all of the final MODIS Aqua processing programs (and source code) used for the OBPG’s Ocean Color Reprocessing 2009.
SeaDAS 6.0
December 10, 2009
Contains all of the current processing programs (and source code) used for the OBPG’s Ocean Color Reprocessing 2009. Also includes MODIS Collection 6 l1bgen_modisa and l1bgen_modist processing programs. Uses One Linux to rule them all. Added support for Intel Mac OS X 10.6 and dropped support for Intel and PowerPC Mac OS X 10.4. gfortran now a supported free compiler.

This marks the last major release of the SeaDAS IDL GUI and display system. In order to improve the GUI, visualization, and analysis components, a new Java-based version of SeaDAS is now under development. It is envisioned that this new Java version will still provide seamless access to the IDL scientific environment. Future releases of the IDL-based SeaDAS will be for processing system maintenance only.
SeaDAS 5.4
June 2, 2009
Allows processing of ESA and Ocean Color formatted Level-1B MERIS files to Level-2, Level-3 Binned, and Level-3 Mapped Ocean Color formatted products.
SeaDAS VA 5.3b (beta)
March 4, 2009
SeaDAS Virtual Appliance for Windows released. SeaDAS VA 5.3b (beta) allows SeaDAS to be run on Microsoft Windows XP and Vista systems within a virtual Linux machine. This is a fully functional version of SeaDAS and processing benchmarks show very impressive performance. SeaDAS VA is simple to install and requires the free VMware Player.
SeaDAS 5.3
December 11, 2008
Includes new capability to read and display MERIS Level 2 Reduced Resolution (1.2km) data files. Also provides new versions of various processing binaries including l2gen 5.8.9. Adds bl2map, bl3map and batch L1A file extraction functionality for MODIS, a consolidated l1brsgen program for all sensors, a new half-kilometer resolution option for l2bin, as well as 1 and 110 degree resolution options for smigen, along with various bug fixes.
SeaDAS 5.2
March 3, 2008
Includes complete source code synching with the OBPG production system under the Subversion software version control system, many renamed and new versions of processing programs, and a restructuring of the SeaDAS directory structure and build procedure. Also includes support for IDL 7.0, and platform support for Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 (Intel and PowerPC) and Ubuntu 7.10. Other additions include GeoTIFF output capability, l2gen 5.8.3 (formerly msl12), and various GUI improvements.
SeaDAS 5.1.6
January 4, 2008
Released for the Intel Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system.
SeaDAS 5.1.6
September 25, 2007
Includes fix for a problem with terra_l1bgen processing of recent data.
SeaDAS 5.1.5
August 22, 2007
Includes build error fix which affected l2bin, l2brsgen, mscaltarget, msl2validate and msscanpixlimits, and new LUTs.
SeaDAS 5.1.4
August 17, 2007
Includes bug fix for setting aer_opt to fixed model and fixed aot, bug fix for l2bin scripts to use night flag of ‘mixed’, buffer overflow fix, msl1info fix, and new LUTs.
SeaDAS 5.1.3
July 20, 2007
Includes new smigen program, new LUTs, and a fix for a geolocation processing problem.
SeaDAS 5.1.2
July 13, 2007
Includes new processing programs for msl12, geolocate, smigen, l2bin, modis_l1agen, and other msl12 utilities, static FC6 build, new LUTs, updates to support SeaWiFS reprocessing 5.2, new msl12 products and parameters, and smigen products in 16-bit format.
SeaDAS 5.1.1
June 6, 2007
Includes switching bathymetry back to 2-minute resolution and new LUTs.
SeaDAS 5.1.0
May 30, 2007
Includes updated msl12, l2bin, l3bin, and smigen processing programs, support for Fedora Core 6, and various bug fixes.
SeaDAS 5.0.5
February 5, 2007
Includes updated msl12, l2bin, l1agen, and smigen processing programs, support for Intel-based Macs, support for IDL 6.3, and various bug fixes.
SeaDAS 5.0.4
December 28, 2006
Includes updated msl12, l2bin, l1agen, and smigen processing programs, a major overhaul of the L2 Flags Display functionality, and various bug fixes.
SeaDAS 5.0.3
November 3, 2006
Includes updated msl12, l2bin, l3bin, and l2brsgen processing programs, support for Intel-based Mac, and various bug fixes.
SeaDAS 5.0.2
September 12, 2006
Includes updated msl12, l2bin, l3bin, and l2brsgen processing programs, support for SST products, and various bug fixes.
SeaDAS 5.0.1
August 28, 2006
Includes updated msl12 processing program, new 256 color browse and map palette, new level 2 extract program, and various bug fixes.
SeaDAS 5.0
July 26, 2006
Includes various processing program updates, MODIS high resolution msl12 processing, OBPG formatted CZCS data processing, AVHRR Version 5 display, new color LUT features, benchmark script.
SeaDAS 4.9 (Update 4)
May 9, 2006
Provides various processing program updates and ancillary data auto-download capability for msl12.
SeaDAS 4.9 (Update 3)
April 21, 2006
Provides fix to SWl01 processing program for on-board GPS time tag problems.
SeaDAS 4.9 (Update 2)
March 29, 2006
Provides updates to many processing programs and includes support for new CZCS format.
SeaDAS 4.9 for CentOS 4.2 and Fedora Core 4
March 21, 2006
These operating systems are now fully supported.
SeaDAS 4.9 (Update 1)
March 12, 2006
This provides some bug fixes to the l2bin program and some Terra data files.
SeaDAS 4.9
March 2, 2006
Provides new Aqua LUT’s; updated processing binaries; various other functionality enhancements.
SeaDAS 4.8 (Update 4)
December 13, 2005
Provides new Aqua LUT’s; updated processing binaries; redesigned msl12 GUI interface; new MODIS L1A subscening program (1km bands only); various other functionality enhancements.
SeaDAS 4.8 (Update 3)
November 18, 2005
Provides new Aqua LUT’s; updated processing binaries; more MODIS processing options; redesigned GUI interface; various other functionality enhancements.
SeaDAS 4.8 (Update 2)
September 20, 2005
Provides new MODIS Terra LUT’s.
SeaDAS 4.8 (Update 1)
August 17, 2005
Provides MODIS Aqua LUT’s and gains used in Aqua Reprocessing 1.1.
SeaDAS 4.8
July 21, 2005
Includes option to install “SeaDAS-lite” for display/analysis only; new Collection 5 processing software for MODIS L0, GEO, L1A, and L1B processing; new msl12, l2bin, l3bin, and smigen software corresponding to SeaWiFS Reprocessing 5.1 and MODIS Reprocessing 1.1; new MODIS processing GUIs and wrapper scripts; MODIS Direct Broadcast data support; runtime SeaDAS built with IDL 6.1; l1bgen renamed to msl1bgen. This release includes MODIS L3 processing capabilities for the first time.
SeaDAS 4.7
February 17, 2005
Includes full support for Mac OS X, a substantial rewrite of msl12, and speed-optimized binaries. L1B calibration and L2 processing parameters coincide with the first full MODIS/Aqua Ocean Reprocessing. New products include the MODIS 678 nm band, enabling generation of fluorescence products.
SeaDAS 4.6 for Fedora Core 1 and 2
August 27, 2004
Support for Fedora Core 1 and 2 released.
SeaDAS 4.6
July 15, 2004
Includes support for processing MODIS Terra Geolocation, L1B, and L2, and MODIS Aqua/Terra Direct Broadcast L0 to L1A.
SeaDAS 4.5 (Update 1)
March 12, 2004
Includes fix for displaying MODIS Aqua L1A right-side up, adds vcal_opt parameter to SeaWiFS l1bgen processing program.
SeaDAS 4.5
February 25, 2004
Includes support for processing MODIS Aqua Geolocation, L1B, and L2.
SeaDAS 4.4 (Update 5)
July 3, 2003
Includes fix for msl12 input/output filename lengths, 24-bit browse PNGoutput fix, removal of parentheses from l1abrsgen output filenames, a fix to allow display of MODISMO1D files, and support for displaying the new MODIS/NPPPrototype data.
SeaDAS 4.4 (Update 4)
June 12, 2003
Includes fix for msl12 fixes for command-line default products file, bash install IDL_DIR error fix, addition of FILTER flag to l3bin, and addition of command line switch for 24-bit L1A browse generation.
SeaDAS 4.4 (Update 3)
May 29, 2003
Includes fix for seadisp display command in scripts, l1agen modification for HRPT station operators, smigen modification to improve dropped pixels at dateline, msl12 fixes for command-line default products file and filling in MET3/OZONE3 arguments when not specified, and sds_setup enhancement to allow Konqueror and Galeon browsers to be specified as default help browser.
SeaDAS 4.4 (Update 2)
May 16, 2003
Includes msl12 parameter file save/load bug fix, smigen dateline pixel dropout bug fix, and 24-bit L1A browse support.
SeaDAS 4.4 (Update 1)
April 2, 2003
Includes msl12 subscene bug fix, read & profile cursor bug fix, and minor fixes to l1agen, l1abrsgen, msl12, spacebin, and smigen to sync up with SeaWiFS production processing.
SeaDAS 4.4
March 21, 2003
This release, for SGI, Sun, and PC/RedHat Linux platforms, features improved MODIS display support, l1agen navigation, msl12 ancillary file selection, msl12 parameter file usage, timebin product selection, and smigen lat/lon limit selection.
SeaDAS 4.3 (Update 3)
November 20, 2002
Fixed problems with l1agen, added output data format capabilities, removed GIF/TIFF capabilities, added cursor position scan line time.
SeaDAS 4.3 (Update 2)
October 1, 2002
Fixed problems with color LUT refresh and added PNG image format capabilities.
SeaDAS 4.3 (Update 1)
August 31, 2002
Fixed problems with msl12 intermittently crashing on Solaris platforms, and problems with land SMI processing.
SeaDAS 4.3
August 19, 2002
This release, for SGI, Sun, and PC/RedHat Linux platforms, features SeaWiFS Reprocessing #4 processing program changes. Supports IRIX 6.5, Solaris 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8, RedHat Linux 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3, and IDL 5.4 and 5.5.
SeaDAS 4.2 (Patches 1 & 2)
July 18, 2002
Patches 01 and 02 released for SeaDAS 4.2.
SeaDAS 4.2
June 12, 2002
This release, for SGI, Sun, and PC/RedHat Linux platforms, features 24-bit display support, and bash shell support. Supports IRIX 6.5, Solaris 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8, RedHat Linux 7.0, 7.1, and 7.2, and IDL 5.4 and 5.5.
SeaDAS 4.1
November 9, 2001
This release, for SGI, Sun, and PC/RedHat Linux platforms, features enhanced OCTS processing and MODIS display capabilities. Supports IRIX 6.3 and 6.5, Solaris 2.6 and 2.7, RedHat Linux 6.2, 7.0, and 7.1, and IDL 5.3 and 5.4.
SeaDAS 4.0 (Update 3)
April 20, 2001
Provides a new SeaWiFS calibration table and a new MOS rayleigh table.
SeaDAS 4.0 (Update 2)
December 21, 2000
Provides many bug fixes.
SeaDAS 4.0 (Update 1)
Juky 11, 2000
Provides embedded IDL runtime license support as well as display capabilities for MODIS Ocean Data (L1A, L1B, L2, L2A, L2B, L2 SST, L3 & L4).
SeaDAS 4.0 for SUN
Jume 20, 2000
SeaDAS 4.0 re-released for SUN to further improve performance. Rebuilt and verified with optimization flag.
SeaDAS 4.0 for PC/Red Hat Linux 6.0
June 9, 2000
SeaDAS 4.0 released for PC/Red Hat Linux 6.0.
SeaDAS 4.0 for SUN & SGI
May 22, 2000
SeaDAS 4.0 re-released for SGI and SUN platforms to remove debug option and improve performance.
SeaDAS 4.0 for SGI & SUN
May 12, 2000
SeaDAS 4.0 released for SUN and SGI to coincide with SeaWiFS 3rd reprocessing. Features the new multi-sensor Level-2 processing program msl12.
SeaDAS 3.3 beta
May 3, 1999
Released for PC/Linux.
SeaDAS 3.3
April 16, 1999
Released with enhanced OCTS and CZCS processing. Also IRIX 6.5, Solaris 2.7 and IDL 5.2 support.
SeaDAS 3.2
September 1, 1998
Release of SeaDAS 3.2 to match second SeaWiFS reprocessing of August 1998. Includes new CZCS processing capability.
SeaDAS 3.1
February 2, 1998
Release of SeaDAS 3.1 to match first SeaWiFS reprocessing of January 1998.
SeaDAS 3.0B3
September 26, 1997
Release of SeaDAS 3.0B3 for processing REAL SeaWiFS data!
SeaDAS 3.0B2
July 3, 1997
Compile-from-scratch version of SeaDAS 3.0B2 tested on Solaris 2.5 (on ULTRASPARC platform). No changes required.
SeaDAS 3.0B2
June 13, 1997
Release of SeaDAS 3.0B2 with enhanced OCTS processing & 10 new products, OCTS subscening, SeaWiFS higher resolution ancillary, IDL 5.0 support, SGI IRIX 6.2 & 6.3 compile-from-scratch versions.
SeaDAS 3.0 (beta)
May 1, 1997
Release of SeaDAS 3.0 beta with pre-launch SeaWiFS updates & preliminary OCTS L0 to L2 processing.

SeaDAS 2.0
May 17, 1996
SeaDAS 2.0 is released. It supports SGI (IRIX 5.3) and SUN (Solaris 2.4) workstations with IDL 4.0.1 installed.
SeaDAS 1.0
June 1995
SeaDAS 2.0 is released. It supports SGI (IRIX 5.3) and SUN (Solaris 2.4) workstations with IDL 4.0.1 installed.
SeaDAS Beta
July 1994
SeaDAS Beta is released. It supports SGI (IRIX5.2) workstation.