OCO-3: Satellite-Based Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Retrievals

OCO-3 Level 2 data provides spatially ordered, geolocated retrievals of atmospheric carbon dioxide from the International Space Station, beginning in May 2019. The dataset is produced by three high-resolution spectrometers measuring reflected sunlight in near-infrared and oxygen bands, enabling precise characterization of CO2 buildup. A key feature is the use of the Oxygen-A Band cloud screening algorithm to filter measurements for clear-sky conditions.

Use Cases

• Analyzing global carbon dioxide concentrations and trends based on space-based spectrometer measurements.
• Screening for cloud-contaminated observations using the Oxygen-A Band (ABO2) algorithm to improve data quality.
• Estimating surface pressure and albedo via fast Bayesian retrieval applied to O2 A-band spectra.
• Comparing atmospheric CO2 measurements with earlier missions like OCO-2 and GOSAT for continuity studies.
• Investigating regional variations in atmospheric carbon linked to specific processes or events.

Strengths

• Data is from a dedicated NASA mission (OCO-3) designed for high-precision, space-based CO2 measurement.
• Incorporates three independently calibrated spectrometers for coincident measurements at specific wavelengths (0.76, 1.61, 2.06 µm).
• Employs a sophisticated cloud-screening algorithm (ABO2) based on a Bayesian retrieval model to filter data.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing: no column names, row counts, or file sizes are provided on any platform.
• The dataset's temporal coverage is only partially defined (starting May 2019), with no end date specified.
• Documentation appears repetitive across platforms, suggesting potential gaps in detailed technical specifications.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Measurements from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO-3) instrument on the International Space Station, processed through the Level 2 IMAP-DOAS Preprocessor (IDP).

Time Range

From May 2019 onward (retrospective processing V10r).

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:31:01.157130

Geography

Global, from the International Space Station's orbit.