OMPIXCOR: OMI Satellite Ground Pixel Corner Locations

The dataset contains Level-2 satellite data from the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), providing the geolocation of pixel corners for each ground observation. It supports the visualization of atmospheric data products, calculation of pixel areas for emission estimates, and cross-platform mapping with other sensors like MODIS. Data is stored in HDF-EOS5 format, with approximately 14 orbit files generated per day, each covering the sunlit portion of an orbit (~53 minutes) and averaging 5 MB in size.

Use Cases

• Visualizing derived OMI atmospheric data products based on precise pixel geolocation.
• Computing trace gas emissions per unit area based on provided ground pixel area.
• Developing cross-platform pixel mapping applications between OMI and other sensors like MODIS.
• Aiding validation studies of satellite-derived atmospheric measurements.

Strengths

• Data is produced by NASA's Aura OMI instrument, a recognized source for atmospheric monitoring.
• The dataset addresses a common need for precise pixel geometry, facilitating multiple downstream applications as described.
• It is publicly accessible from the NASA GES DISC, indicating institutional support and availability.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing from all sources, including specific column names, row counts, and a detailed data dictionary.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' on Data.gov but is 'None' on NASA Earthdata, creating a conflict for users.
• The 'last updated' date of 2026-04-09 appears to be a future date, suggesting potential metadata errors.

Provenance

Source

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC). Algorithm lead is Dr. Thomas Kurosu from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center.

Collection Method

Collected by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) aboard NASA's Aura satellite in global scanning mode.

Time Range

The dataset covers the operational lifetime of the Aura OMI instrument for Version-3 data; specific start and end dates are not provided.

Freshness

2026-04-09 23:18:23.121911 (Note: This is a future date, which may indicate a metadata error.)

Geography

Global coverage, from the day-lit portion of each satellite orbit.