PACE OCI Level-2 Regional Cloud Optical Properties: Near Real-time Satellite Data

Near real-time satellite data providing a snapshot of cloud properties within a single orbit. The dataset includes per-pixel cloud microphysics and macrophysics variables such as cloud fraction, effective radius, optical thickness, and cloud top height. It is produced by the Ocean Biology DAAC using the best-available ancillary meteorological and ozone data.

Use Cases

• Screening clouds for atmospheric correction of satellite imagery based on cloud fraction and optical thickness.
• Evaluating cloud–radiation interactions for climate models based on cloud particle effective radius and water path.
• Conducting joint analyses with ocean-color variables like chlorophyll based on co-located cloud property data.

Strengths

• Includes core geophysical variables like cloud_fraction, ice_cloud, water_cloud, and cloud top height (cth).
• Provides cloud particle effective radius (cer), optical thickness (cot), and water path (cwp) retrieved using three different near-IR band methods (1.6, 2.1, 2.2 µm).

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect temporal and spatial bias inherent to the near real-time, single-orbit snapshot collection method.

Provenance

Source

Ocean Biology DAAC (OB_CLOUD) via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the PACE OCI instrument, processed with ancillary meteorological and ozone data.

Freshness

Near real-time (NRT); update frequency is unknown.

Geography

Regional coverage; specific regions are unknown.