PACE OCI Level-3: Global Mapped Phytoplankton Carbon Concentration, Near Real-time

NASA's Ocean Biology DAAC produces near real-time (NRT) phytoplankton carbon concentration data derived from ocean-color satellite observations. The carbon_phyto product provides phytoplankton carbon concentration in milligrams per cubic meter. Typical uses include quantifying biomass and carbon stocks, assessing ecosystem productivity, and driving biogeochemical models.

Use Cases

• Quantifying marine biomass and carbon stocks based on phytoplankton carbon concentration.
• Assessing ecosystem productivity and change using satellite-derived phytoplankton carbon.
• Driving biogeochemical models with phytoplankton carbon data alongside other environmental variables like SST and PAR.
• Providing biological context for oceanographic studies in conjunction with chlorophyll and other satellite products.

Strengths

• Data is produced in near real-time, providing a snapshot of ocean conditions within a single orbit.
• Product is derived from NASA ocean-color observations, a trusted source for satellite remote sensing.
• Description specifies a core geophysical variable: phytoplankton carbon concentration (mg m⁻³).

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Near real-time products use less-than-optimal ancillary data and calibration compared to final science products.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

NASA Ocean Biology DAAC (OB_CLOUD)

Collection Method

Derived from NASA ocean-color satellite observations.

Freshness

Near real-time (NRT)

Geography

Global