OCO-3: Calibrated Spectra for Atmospheric CO2 Monitoring

NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO 3) instrument, deployed on the International Space Station in May 2019, provides Level 1B calibrated spectral data from three high-resolution spectrometers. This specific dataset contains calibration mode measurements (e.g., Lunar, Solar, Dark observations) processed retrospectively for higher quality, differing from science products in its geolocation reporting. It supports the characterization of processes controlling atmospheric carbon dioxide buildup with measurements at 0.76, 1.61, and 2.06 micrometer wavelengths.

Use Cases

• Calibrating atmospheric CO2 retrieval algorithms based on the three spectrometer bands.
• Analyzing instrument performance over time using retrospective processing of calibration data.
• Comparing calibration mode geolocation (boresight vector) with science product sounding locations.
• Studying spectral elements (1016 per band) for sensor characterization and masking analysis.

Strengths

• Data is from a dedicated NASA mission (OCO-3) designed for high-precision space-based CO2 measurements.
• Retrospective processing uses the full timeseries of data, leading to expected higher quality calibration.
• Instrument incorporates three independently calibrated spectrometers with 1016 spectral elements each.

Limitations

• Key metadata is missing: row count, file size, and specific column names are not provided by any source.
• Sources show a conflict in the 'last updated' date (2026-04-09 vs. 2023-11-12), creating uncertainty about freshness.
• The dataset's specialized calibration format and lack of per-sounding geolocation may limit direct scientific use.

Provenance

Source

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC)

Collection Method

Measurements from the OCO-3 instrument on the International Space Station, processed to Level 1B.

Time Range

Measurements began after instrument deployment in May 2019; specific end date not provided.

Freshness

2026-04 09 23:31:49.774994

Geography

Global coverage from the International Space Station orbit.