Aqua MODIS Level-3 Global Binned Particulate Inorganic Carbon (PIC) Near Real-time Data

NASA's Ocean Biology DAAC produces near real-time (NRT) particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) data using the Balch & Gordon algorithm on Aqua MODIS satellite reflectance. The data suite includes calcite concentration (mol m⁻³) and is used to detect coccolithophore blooms and assess carbonate cycling. As an NRT product, it uses the best-available ancillary data but inputs and calibration are less than optimal.

Use Cases

• Detect and quantify coccolithophore blooms based on particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) concentration.
• Assess marine carbonate cycling and optical backscatter based on calcite concentration data.
• Provide biogeochemical context for oceanographic studies alongside other variables like chlorophyll-a and sea surface temperature mentioned in the description.

Strengths

• Provides near real-time (NRT) data, offering a snapshot within a single orbit.
• Derived from NASA's Aqua MODIS satellite sensor, a trusted source for ocean-color data.
• Uses a specific algorithm (Balch & Gordon) for retrieving particulate inorganic carbon.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• As an NRT product, the inputs and calibration used are described as 'less than optimal'.

Provenance

Source

NASA Ocean Biology DAAC (OB_CLOUD), using Aqua MODIS satellite data.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing using the Balch & Gordon algorithm on ocean-color reflectance.

Freshness

Near real-time (NRT); update frequency is not specified.

Geography

Global ocean coverage.