OCO-2: Space-Based Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Measurements

NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission provides space-based measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The Level 1A data product contains depacketized raw data numbers from three high-resolution spectrometers measuring reflected sunlight at specific near-infrared wavelengths for CO2 and molecular oxygen. This calibrated engineering data serves as the fundamental input for generating higher-level science products.

Use Cases

• Calibrating spectrometer readings for the O2 A-Band at 0.76 micrometers and CO2 bands at 1.61 and 2.06 micrometers.
• Providing raw input for the Level 1B processing pipeline to create geolocated, calibrated radiances.
• Analyzing time-correlated raw data numbers (DN) from three independent spectrometers for instrument performance assessment.
• Supporting research into the processes controlling atmospheric carbon dioxide buildup with precision space-based measurements.

Strengths

• Data is from the first NASA mission specifically designed for space-based atmospheric CO2 measurements.
• Each spectrometer band provides 1016 spectral elements, offering high spectral resolution.
• The dataset is actively maintained, with Version 11.2 noted as the current, superseding version on multiple platforms.

Limitations

• Column names and dataset size (rows, file size) are not provided in any source, limiting immediate usability.
• There is a conflict in the reported version (11 vs. 11.2) and last update date (2024 vs. 2026) across different platform entries.
• Documentation is described only in broad terms; specific data structure and access details are unclear.

Provenance

Source

NASA Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission, processed by GES DISC.

Collection Method

Collected via the LEOStar-2 spacecraft carrying a single instrument with three high-resolution spectrometers.

Time Range

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Freshness

2026-04-09 23:34:27.418740

Geography

Global, from satellite orbit.