PACE OCI Level-3 Global Mapped Aerosol Index, Near Real-time Data

Global near real-time satellite data from NASA's Ocean Biology DAAC providing a unitless Ultraviolet Absorbing Aerosol Index (UVAI). The index is sensitive to light-absorbing aerosols like smoke and mineral dust, calculated using the Unified Aerosol Algorithm. It provides a snapshot of data from a short time period within a single orbit.

Use Cases

• Detect and track smoke and dust plumes based on the Ultraviolet Absorbing Aerosol Index (UVAI).
• Analyze air quality by identifying regions with absorbing aerosol conditions flagged by positive UVAI values.
• Provide aerosol context for atmospheric correction of ocean-color satellite data as mentioned in the description.
• Conduct climate analyses using the semi-quantitative indicator of aerosol absorption strength and altitude.

Strengths

• Provides near real-time (NRT) data, offering a timely snapshot of atmospheric conditions.
• Includes core geophysical variables like NUV_AerosolIndex, NUV_Reflectivity, and NUV_Residue for aerosol analysis.
• Algorithm is designed to be sensitive to aerosol amount, altitude, and absorption strength.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The inputs and calibration used for NRT products are described as 'less than optimal'.

Provenance

Source

NASA Ocean Biology DAAC (OB_CLOUD).

Collection Method

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

Freshness

Near real-time (NRT), providing data from a short time period within a single orbit.

Geography

Global.