PACE OCI Level-3 data provides per-pixel cloud optical and physical properties for global climate applications. The dataset includes core geophysical variables such as cloud fraction, effective radius, and optical thickness. It is produced by the OB_CLOUD organization from NASA Earthdata.
Use Cases
- Screen clouds for atmospheric correction in ocean-color analysis using cloud_fraction and cth.
- Evaluate cloud-radiation interactions in climate models using cer, cot, and cwp.
- Classify cloud phase (water vs. ice) for microphysics studies using water_cloud_fraction and ice_cloud_fraction.
- Analyze cloud vertical structure and thermodynamics using ctp, ctt, and cth.
- Perform joint analyses with ocean variables by correlating cwp and cot with chlorophyll data.
Strengths
- Provides nine core geophysical variables for cloud analysis.
- Offers per-pixel data for detailed spatial analysis.
- Supports global-scale climate and cloud applications.
Limitations
- Specific row count, temporal coverage, and spatial resolution are not provided.
- Data quality may be affected by satellite sensor limitations and retrieval algorithm assumptions.
Provenance
- Source
- NASA Earthdata, OB_CLOUD organization.
- Collection Method
- Satellite remote sensing from the PACE OCI instrument.
- Time Range
- null
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Global mapped coverage.