PACE OCI Aerosol Optical Properties: Near Real-time Satellite Data

Near real-time aerosol optical properties from the PACE OCI satellite's Unified Aerosol Algorithm. The Ocean Biology DAAC produces these snapshots using the best-available ancillary meteorological and ozone data during a short time period within a single orbit. Core variables include aerosol optical depth, layer height, single scattering albedo, and cloud properties.

Use Cases

• Air-quality analysis based on aerosol optical depth and aerosol layer height measurements.
• Climate model evaluation based on aerosol single scattering albedo and size partitioning data.
• Providing aerosol context for ocean-color atmospheric correction based on the suite of aerosol optical properties.
• Trend studies of atmospheric particulates based on near real-time satellite observations.

Strengths

• Provides near real-time data snapshots, enabling timely analysis.
• Includes multiple core geophysical variables such as Aerosol_Optical_Depth, AAOD, and AerosolLayerHeight.
• Data is produced by the Ocean Biology DAAC, an authoritative source for satellite ocean biology data.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The inputs and calibration used for near real-time products are described as 'less than optimal'.

Provenance

Source

OB_CLOUD / NASA Ocean Biology DAAC

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the PACE OCI instrument, processed with the Unified Aerosol Algorithm (UAA).

Freshness

Near real-time

Geography

Regional coverage (implied by 'Regional' in title), specific regions unknown.