OCO-3: Satellite-Based Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Retrievals

Version 11r, the current and retrospective processing version, supersedes all older releases. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO-3) instrument, deployed to the International Space Station in May 2019, provides high-resolution spectroscopic measurements designed to characterize the processes controlling atmospheric carbon dioxide buildup. Its data products include retrievals screened using the IMAP-DOAS preprocessor and employ a Bayesian cloud-screening algorithm on molecular oxygen A-band spectra.

Use Cases

• Monitoring regional carbon dioxide fluxes based on spatially ordered geolocated retrievals.
• Cloud and aerosol screening for atmospheric data using the Oxygen-A Band (ABO2) algorithm.
• Validating and comparing carbon cycle models with space-based, precision CO2 measurements.
• Analyzing time-series trends in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations from the ISS platform.

Strengths

• Data is from a dedicated NASA mission (OCO-3) designed for precise, space-based CO2 measurement.
• Employes a sophisticated, fast Bayesian retrieval algorithm for cloud screening and surface parameter estimation.
• Represents the authoritative current version (11r), with older versions superseded.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing or inconsistent across platforms: column names, row counts, and exact data size are unknown.
• The license is listed as 'other-license-specified' without further details, requiring user investigation.
• Descriptions are highly technical and focused on methodology, with limited information on direct data accessibility or structure.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Measurements from the OCO-3 instrument's three high-resolution spectrometers on the International Space Station, processed through the IMAP-DOAS preprocessor.

Time Range

From May 2019 (instrument deployment) onward, with retrospective processing (V11r).

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:19:42.154536

Geography

Global coverage from the International Space Station orbit.