OCO-2 GEOS Level 3: Global Gridded Monthly Carbon Dioxide

Global gridded monthly data provides assimilated atmospheric carbon dioxide (XCO2) concentrations. The dataset is produced by NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office using a data assimilation technique that synthesizes high-quality OCO-2 satellite retrievals with GEOS model simulations to fill observational gaps. This process yields a continuous, analyzed state of atmospheric CO2 based on scientific understanding of the carbon cycle and atmospheric transport.

Use Cases

• Analyzing global carbon dioxide distribution and trends based on assimilated satellite observations.
• Validating and improving carbon cycle models using gap-filled, global concentration fields.
• Studying seasonal and interannual variability of atmospheric CO2 from a continuous, gridded product.
• Assimilating observational data into atmospheric transport simulations for more accurate flux inversions.

Strengths

• Derived from OCO-2 mission data, described as the highest quality space-based XCO2 retrievals.
• Uses a sophisticated data assimilation system (GEOS CoDAS with 3D-Var) to create a continuous, gap-filled product.
• Has a global spatial scope and monthly temporal resolution.

Limitations

• Specific column names, dataset size, and row counts are not provided in the available metadata.
• Conflicting last updated dates exist between sources (2026-04-09 on datagov vs. 2022-02-01 on nasa_earthdata).
• License is listed as 'other-license-specified' without further detail.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO)

Collection Method

Data assimilation (state estimation) combining OCO-2 Level 2 satellite retrievals with GEOS model simulations.

Freshness

2026-04-09 (from datagov, but conflicts with nasa_earthdata date)

Geography

Global