NOAA-21 VIIRS: Global Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) Near Real-time Data

Near real-time satellite-derived measurements of Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) concentration in the global ocean. The data is produced by the Ocean Biology DAAC using NOAA-21 VIIRS sensor data and provides a snapshot within a single orbit. It is used to quantify surface carbon stocks and support biogeochemical studies.

Use Cases

• Quantifying surface ocean carbon stocks based on particulate organic carbon concentration.
• Supporting biogeochemical and export-flux studies using POC data alongside chlorophyll-a and other variables.
• Providing ecological context for marine analysis by combining POC with sea surface temperature and other ocean-color products.

Strengths

• Data is produced in near real-time, providing a timely snapshot of ocean conditions.
• Derived from the NOAA-21 VIIRS satellite sensor, a known source for environmental monitoring.
• The POC algorithm is based on a published 2007 method by D. Stramski.

Limitations

• Near real-time processing uses less-than-optimal ancillary and calibration data, as stated in the description.
• Column-level documentation and sample data are unavailable, hindering initial assessment.
• Row count and file format details are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Ocean Biology DAAC (OB_CLOUD) via NASA Earthdata (nasa_earthdata).

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the NOAA-21 VIIRS instrument, processed to Level-3 binned geophysical products.

Freshness

Near real-time (NRT); specific last update date is unknown.

Geography

Global ocean coverage.