OrbView-2 SeaWiFS: Global Daily Photosynthetically Available Radiation (PAR) Data

Satellite-based estimates of downwelling solar radiation in the 400–700 nm range available for photosynthesis at the ocean surface. The data quantifies daily usable light energy in moles of photons per square meter (mol photons m⁻² d⁻¹). This Level-3 binned product is sourced from the OrbView-2 SeaWiFS mission and is used to estimate marine primary production and interpret phytoplankton dynamics.

Use Cases

• Estimating marine primary production based on daily photosynthetically available radiation (PAR).
• Interpreting phytoplankton bloom dynamics based on satellite-derived light energy estimates.
• Providing context for in-situ optical and biogeochemical measurements based on surface PAR data.
• Supporting ecosystem and biogeochemical models with input data on biologically usable light.
• Educating on light–biology interactions in marine environments using quantified PAR estimates.

Strengths

• Provides a specific geophysical variable (par) measured in a standardized unit (mol photons m⁻² d⁻¹).
• Data is derived from a dedicated satellite mission (OrbView-2 SeaWiFS) for ocean color observation.
• Focuses on the photosynthetically active radiation spectrum (400–700 nm) critical for biological studies.

Limitations

• Last updated 2010-12-11 23:59:59; freshness should be verified.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

OB_CLOUD, likely originating from NASA's Ocean Biology Processing Group.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the SeaWiFS instrument on the OrbView-2 platform, processed to Level-3 binned products.

Freshness

Last updated 2010-12-11 23:59:59

Geography

Global