The following updates will be implemented in the next release of the ASCAT SSM NRT processor (H29, H122) on the 3rd of November 2026:

1. Fix observation/beam time issue - In cases where Mid beam observations are unavailable, observation time has been taken from Fore/Aft beam observations. However, due to the 60-90 sec time difference between beams, this has occasionally caused observations from the same grid point to appear twice between two consecutive swaths. This update drops observations entirely when Mid beam observations are missing, which only affects observations at very large incidence angles without an overlap between Fore and Aft/Mid beams.

2. Pre-computed dry and wet backscatter model parameters are available until the end of 2026. From 2027 onward, they are retained and used as a climatology. (New dynamic model parameters will be estimated as part of the generation of the next ASCAT SSM Climate Data Record.)