Release Notes

SeaDAS 8.4.0 Release Notes

These release notes depict the primary changes which have occurred since the previous release (SeaDAS 8.3.0).

Versioning

• Release Date: Sept. 29, 2023
• SeaDAS Toolbox 1.4.0
• SeaDAS Platform 8.4.0
• Modification of ESA SNAP 10.0.0* (an unreleased version as of Sept 19, 2023)
• Optical Toolbox 10.0.0
• Modification of ESA Optical Toolbox 10.0.0* (an unreleased version as of Sept 19, 2023)

Details

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/M2 chip. SeaDAS 8.4.0 uses a modification of unreleased versions of ESA SNAP 10.0.0 and ESA Optical Toolbox 10.0.0.

SeaDAS Toolbox 1.4.0

General

• Supports Mac OS Ventura and the Mac M1/M2 chip.

Tools

• Image Animator Tool (new tool):
  • Creates an animation across selected bands.
  • Creates an animation of the Angular View plots across selected bands.
  • Creates an animation of the Spectrum View plots across selected bands.

SeaDAS Processors (OCSSW)

• Adds GUI processing support for VIIRS NOAA21.

Known Issues

• GPT:
  • Coastline, Land and Water mask tool operator not available at gpt command line
  • Bathymetry tool operator not available in gpt

SeaDAS Platform 8.4.0

General

• Supports Mac OS Ventura and the Mac M1/M2 chip.

Tools

• Angular View Tool (new tool):
  • This enables a plot of the band value across angular data of the band. The supported angular data is view angle, sensor zenith angle, sensor azimuth angle and scattering angle.
• Annotation Metadata Layer Tool (new tool):
  • This tool enables adding metadata and custom annotations to the scene image. This includes header, footer and margin annotations.
• Soft Button Tool (new tool):
  • This tool enables multiple layer tools to be assigned to a single button. For instance: with a single click the user can enable the Map Gridlines Layer, Color Bar Legend Layer, Annotation Metadata Layer, and turn on a list of their favorite masks. This tool also enables setting the scene image zoom.
• Color Bar Legend Tool (modification):
  • Colorbar legend can be configured by band-dependent configuration schemes.
  • Colorbar legend title supports file/band metadata replacement variables.
  • Colorbar legend title and units support text formatting such as superscript and subscript.
  • Colorbar legend units can display caret-notated text as actual superscripts
  • Colorbar legend placement on scene image can adapt to scene shape (vertical vs horizontal) based on a default scene image aspect ratio.
  • Colorbar legend placement default is now outside scene image.
  • Colorbar legend margins and spacing are now fully adjustable.
  • Fixed bug where an already added and customized colorbar legend sometimes would get reset to defaults
• Color Manipulation Tool (modification):
  • Color palette selector has been reorganized and grouped to make color palettes easier to find within the selector.
• Image Zoom (modification):
  • The default zoom when opening a band image will be slightly zoomed out to account for gridlines and color bar legend potentially being added. This default can be altered in the Preferences for Image View.
  • Zooming behavior regarding the mouse wheel interaction has been reversed from earlier SeaDAS versions. Now moving the mouse wheel forward results in zooming in. This default can be altered in the Preferences for Image View.
• Map Gridlines (Graticules) Tool (modification):
  • Changed label orientation default to be in line with the axis to better allow room for the color bar legend default of its being placed outside the scene image. This default can be set in the Preference for Map Gridlines.
• Layer Editor (modification):
  • Arrangement and alignment of data entry fields has been modified to improve usability.
• Vector Layer Visibility (modification):
  • When a user adds a Pin, Geometry, or Ground Control Point, the respective layer is automatically made visible so the user can see what they just added.
• No-Data Layer (modification):
  • Fixed issue where No-Data layer would sometimes change unexpectedly.

Known Issues

• GPT
  • gpt (graph processing tool) command line entries require full file path

Optical Toolbox 10.0.0* - (SeaDAS modification of unreleased SNAP version)

File Readers

• File/Sensor Support
  • Updated support for SPEXOne files (SPEXOne file configuration is not finalized and is subject to change)
  • Updated support for HARP2 L1C files (HARP2 file configuration is not finalized and is subject to change)

Known Issues

• none

Getting Started with SeaDAS

To get started see: SeaDAS 8.x Download, Installation, and Run Instructions

SNAP Users: Installing SeaDAS Toolbox

Please follow these guidelines to access and install the SeaDAS Toolbox

SeaDAS General Overview

The SeaDAS 8 platform (an extension of the ESA SNAP platform) serves as an application platform to the NASA SeaDAS Toolbox and the ESA Sentinel-3 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 Sentinel-3 Toolbox.

Note: SeaDAS 8 and onward is a significant modification over SeaDAS 7.5.3 regarding the core components and inner framework of the GUI. To get started see: SeaDAS 8.x Download, Installation, and Run Instructions

SeaDAS Legacy Software Overview

• 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.