Gulf of Maine Carbon Time Series With Satellite Coordination

GNATS provides an 8-year monthly time series of carbon cycle parameters across the Gulf of Maine. The dataset combines shipboard measurements of POC, PIC, DOC, primary productivity, and hydrographic data with concurrent satellite ocean color and SST observations. It is produced by NASA to study marine and terrestrial carbon fluxes in a productive shelf sea.

Use Cases

• Validating and tuning regional satellite ocean color algorithms for parameters like POC and chlorophyll.
• Modeling monthly variation in carbon standing stocks (POC, PIC, DOC) and production rates (primary productivity, calcification).
• Analyzing the correlation between in-situ hydrographic, chemical, optical measurements and synoptic satellite data.
• Studying the influence of terrestrial carbon inputs on coastal ocean optics and biogeochemistry.
• Performing statistical comparisons of photoadaptive parameters across different regions of the NE U.S. Continental Shelf.

Strengths

• Achieves a 95% success rate for concurrent ship-satellite measurements, far exceeding the ~10% random expectation due to targeted clear-sky sampling.
• Includes a suite of carbon-specific measurements (standing stocks and rates) plus supporting hydrographic, chemical, and optical data.
• Provides an 8-year continuous monthly time series, enabling analysis of seasonal and interannual variability.
• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData signals its importance and curation by a major space agency.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and a complete column list are unavailable from all sources, limiting precise assessment of dataset scale.
• The license is listed as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov but is 'None' on NASA EarthData, creating a conflict regarding usage terms.
• The temporal coverage is stated as 8 years, but the exact start and end dates are not provided.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Monthly cross-Gulf sampling from ships of opportunity during clear-sky days, coordinated with satellite overpasses for concurrent measurements.

Time Range

8 years (exact dates not specified)

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:58:38.325963

Geography

Gulf of Maine, NE U.S. Continental Shelf