Satellite-based estimates of downwelling solar radiation in the 400–700 nm range available for photosynthesis at the ocean surface. The data suite quantifies daily or instantaneous usable light energy, expressed in moles of photons m⁻² (Einstein m⁻²). These products are provided by the OB_CLOUD organization via the NASA Earthdata platform.
Use Cases
- Estimate marine primary production based on daily photosynthetically available radiation (PAR).
- Interpret phytoplankton bloom dynamics based on the amount of usable light energy.
- Provide context for optical and biogeochemical measurements based on PAR data.
- Support ecosystem models and education on light–biology interactions using PAR estimates.
Strengths
- Data provides estimates for a specific and biologically relevant light spectrum (400–700 nm).
- Products quantify daily or instantaneous PAR, a key variable for ecological studies.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
Provenance
- Source
- OB_CLOUD via nasa_earthdata
- Collection Method
- Satellite remote sensing from the NOAA-21 VIIRS instrument.
- Geography
- Global ocean surface