DSCOVR EPIC: Global Total Ozone and UV Radiation Maps

DSCOVR_EPIC_L2_TO3_v03 provides global total ozone column measurements derived from ultraviolet channels on the Deep Space Climate Observatory's EPIC instrument. The version 3 algorithm incorporates improved calibration, cloud height data, and ozone profile corrections to generate science-quality products consistent with other satellite instruments. These data enable the creation of synoptic ozone maps every 1-2 hours over the sunlit Earth and also report scene reflectivity and surface UV Erythemal radiation.

Use Cases

• Monitoring short-term synoptic changes in total column ozone based on the 1-2 hour measurement cadence from the DSCOVR vantage point.
• Deriving surface UV Erythemal radiation levels using the reported scene reflectivity data in conjunction with ozone measurements.
• Validating and cross-calibrating ozone products from other UV instruments like OMPS and OMI using the soft calibration technique described.
• Analyzing the relationship between cloud properties and ozone distribution using the simultaneous EPIC A-Band cloud height data.

Strengths

• Algorithm version 3 includes key improvements such as updated geolocation, cloud height data from EPIC itself, and corrections for ozone profile shape and temperature.
• Provides a high temporal resolution view of the sunlit Earth, with synoptic maps derivable every 1-2 hours from the DSCOVR Lagrange point.
• Uses a 'soft calibration' technique matched with OMPS data to produce science-quality total ozone products consistent with other established instruments.

Limitations

• Critical metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are not provided on any platform, limiting initial assessment of data structure.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' without details, requiring further investigation for use.
• The listed last update date of 2026-04-10 appears to be a future date, indicating a potential metadata error that casts doubt on timestamp accuracy.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the DSCOVR spacecraft's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) using a wavelength triplet retrieval algorithm.

Freshness

2026-04-10 03:42:15.946247

Geography

Global coverage over the entire sunlit portion of the Earth.