Ocean Color and Aerosol Data from ADEOS Satellite

Normalized water-leaving radiance at 412, 443, 490, 520, and 565 nm, along with aerosol radiance and optical thickness data, are provided in this Level 2 product. The dataset was produced by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) from the Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (OCTS) onboard the ADEOS satellite. Data collection spans from the satellite's launch on August 17, 1996, until mission termination on June 30, 1997.

Use Cases

• Estimate chlorophyll-a concentration by analyzing ratios of normalized water-leaving radiance at 443, 490, and 565 nm.
• Model atmospheric correction over water by using aerosol radiance at 670, 765, and 865 nm and aerosol optical thickness at 865 nm.
• Study spatial patterns in ocean optics using geolocated, 700m resolution GAC (Global Area Coverage) data across a ~1400km observation field.
• Analyze temporal changes in coastal water constituents during the 1996-1997 period using the time-series of geophysical parameters.
• Validate aerosol correction algorithms by examining the epsilon of aerosol correction parameter at 670 and 865 nm.

Strengths

• Includes 12 spectral bands of data from visible to thermal infrared regions for detailed analysis.
• Provides geophysical parameters like normalized water-leaving radiance at five specific wavelengths (412, 443, 490, 520, 565 nm).
• Offers a spatial resolution of 700 meters for the Global Area Coverage (GAC) product.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is limited to less than one year, from August 1996 to June 1997.
• Data is historically stale, with no updates since the satellite mission ended in 1997.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and complete column definitions are unknown, complicating initial assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), now part of JAXA, via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (OCTS) sensor onboard the ADEOS satellite, processed to Level 2 geophysical parameters.

Time Range

1996-08-17 to 1997-06-30

Freshness

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Geography

Global ocean coverage from the satellite's sun-synchronous quasi-recurrent orbit.