SeaDAS 9.1.0 Release Notes

These release notes depict the primary changes which have occurred since the previous release (SeaDAS 9.0.1).

Versioning

• SeaDAS Platform 9.1.0
• SeaDAS Toolbox 2.1.0
• Release Date: October 4, 2024
• SeaDAS Download:
  • Windows: https://oceandata.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/SeaDAS/installer/9.1.0/seadas_9.1.0_windows64_installer.exe
  • Mac OS: https://oceandata.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/SeaDAS/installer/9.1.0/seadas_9.1.0_mac_installer.sh
  • Linux: https://oceandata.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/SeaDAS/installer/9.1.0/seadas_9.1.0_linux64_installer.sh
• Code Repositories:
  • https://github.com/seadas/seadas-toolbox/releases/tag/SEADAS-9.1.0
  • https://github.com/senbox-org/snap-desktop/releases/tag/SEADAS-9.1.0
  • https://github.com/senbox-org/snap-engine/releases/tag/SEADAS-9.1.0
  • https://github.com/senbox-org/optical-toolbox/releases/tag/SEADAS-9.1.0
• SNAP Integration:
  • SeaDAS 9.1.0 uses a modification of SNAP (Apr 30, 2024) development code (essentially is SNAP 10)

Operating Systems and Platform

Modifications to add/improve platform dependent support

• No Modifications

SeaDAS Installer

Modifications to the SeaDAS application installer.

• Now retains user custom auxiliary data (in ~/.seadas9) and archives the rest (in ~/.seadas_archive).
• Removed "Modify installation" step in installer.

File Readers

Modifications to the file readers.

• File/Sensor Support: No change

• Bug Fix: SeaWiFS L1A files is now supported.
• PACE OCI wavelength dependent products: the actual center-wavelength (floating-point value) is now read and displayed. The integerized band name is retained.

General Tools

Modifications to the general tools.

Angular View Tool:

This tool enables a plot of values across data at different angles (view angle, sensor zenith angle, sensor azimuth angle and scattering angle).

• Bug fix: improvements to progress monitor.
• By default only the band grouping tied to the currently selected band is selected.

Annotation Metadata Tool:

This tool enables adding metadata and custom annotations to a scene image.

• Help pages - minor update

Bathymetry Mask Tool:

This tool create a bathymetry band and mask in a file.

• Modified to set units and description of the bathymetry, topography and elevation bands.

Color Bar Legend Tool:

This tool creates a legend of the color palette and it's corresponding data values.

• Help pages - minor update

Color Manager Tool:

This tool controls the color palette, along with its range and scaling, being applied to an image.

• Preferences now supports setting value of UNIVERSAL and STANDARD palette.

Help:

• Bug fix: fixed Menu link to point to SeaDAS help pages.

Launcher Splash Image:

• Minor revision.

Mask Manager:

This tool creates and manages masks.

• Minor reorganization of masks table.

Performance/Memory:

• Modified GPT default virtual memory allocation to 8G

Software & System Info:

This GUI shows system environment and configurations which SeaDAS is using.

• Added checks for Python including checking for installation of the Python requests module
• Added a check for Earthdata login setup in the .netrc file

Spectrum View Tool:

This tool enables a plot of values across data at different wavelengths.

• Bug fix: improvements to progress monitor.
• By default only the band grouping tied to the currently selected band is selected.

Statistics Tool:

This tool computes statistical information, including histogram plots, for any bands in a file.

• Bug fix: Spreadsheet can now display rows for all bands in a file.
• Spreadsheet now includes wavelength (for wavelength dependent bands).
• Spreadsheet now includes view angle (for polarimeter instruments - can be enabled in the Preferences).

Version Checker:

• Bug fix: no longer directs users to update center. SeaDAS updates should be done via a full download installation.
• Version check message only displays if a new version is available.

Science Processors

Modifications to the GUI support of the SeaDAS science processors (OCSSW)

OCSSW Installer:

• Bug fix: now correctly displays tags selector when launched from a Mac dock.
• Bug fix: the currently installed tag is now displayed in the tag selector.

Georegion_gen:

This tool creates a raster region mask file based on either a Shapefile or WKT file.

• Bug fix: GUI support has been added.

L2Gen:

This tool creates a level-2 file from an input level-1 file.

• Bug fix: field "l2prod" now sorts wavelength dependent products correctly by wavelength.

Known Issues

Highlights some known issues or helpful hints to user stumbling blocks

• General
  • Layer Editor can get out of sync with selected layer in Layer Manager (user workaround: the layer editor still works, but it is one-layer click event behind, and the user can activate the desired layer by clicking another layer in Layer Manager)
  • Clicking a view window tab selects the view window as the active view, but does not auto-select the corresponding band as the active band. This can lead to confusion when run band-based tools. (user workaround: click the band in the File Manager will auto-select both the band and its view window and will avoid this issue).
  • System performance is a concern with large files and the user should adjust the settings in the "Performance" preferences page which defaults VM to 8Gig. But 8Gig virtual memory may not ideally be enough for some files, so if the user has a computer with sufficient RAM then this VM can be increased if needed.
• GPT
  • gpt (graph processing tool) command line entries require full file path.
  • Coastline, Land and Water mask tool operator not available at gpt command line.
  • Bathymetry tool operator not available in gpt.

Getting Started with SeaDAS

To get started see: SeaDAS Download, Installation, and Run Instructions

SeaDAS General Overview

SeaDAS 9.1.0 is an open-source comprehensive software package for the processing, display, analysis, and quality control of remote-sensing Earth data. SeaDAS serves as the official distribution point of the NASA OBPG Science Software. The science processing component of SeaDAS applies the OBPG algorithms to satellite data in order to characterize and calibrate the data and generate science quality OBPG products.

The SeaDAS 9 platform (an extension of the ESA SNAP platform) serves as an application platform to the NASA SeaDAS Toolbox and the ESA Optical Toolbox. The core elements of NASA SeaDAS science processing (both command line and GUI-based) are contained within the SeaDAS ToolBox. The NASA satellite mission data file readers and the ESA processors for the Sentinel-3 missions are contained within the Optical Toolbox.

SeaDAS Legacy Software Overview

• SeaDAS 8 series began an integration with the ESA SNAP software.
• SeaDAS 7 series contained the NASA OBPG processors and the GUI is a variant of the BEAM software. This series culminated in version 7.5.3 and will no longer be revised. It won't use the latest NASA processors.
• SeaDAS 6 series was based on IDL and is no longer supported.