Sentinel-3B OLCI Level-3 Global Mapped Remote-Sensing Reflectance (NRT)

Global near real-time satellite data providing remote sensing reflectance (RRS) from the Sentinel-3B OLCI instrument. The Ocean Biology DAAC produces these products using the best-available ancillary meteorological and ozone data, though inputs and calibration are described as less than optimal. This activity was informed by the U.S. Government's Satellite Needs Working Group (SNWG).

Use Cases

• Retrieving chlorophyll-a concentration (chlor_a) based on remote sensing reflectance.
• Estimating the diffuse attenuation coefficient (Kd_490) for water clarity based on reflectance bands.
• Deriving inherent optical properties (IOPs) of water bodies based on multi-spectral RRS data.
• Developing and validating ocean color algorithms based on the foundational RRS observable.
• Monitoring water quality in coastal and inland waters based on per-pixel quality flags for clouds and aerosols.

Strengths

• Provides near real-time (NRT) data, offering a snapshot from a single orbit.
• Includes per-file quality flags for land, cloud, sun glint, and high aerosol conditions.
• Data is produced by the Ocean Biology DAAC, an authoritative source for ocean color data.

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 are described as 'less than optimal' compared to final science products.

Provenance

Source

Ocean Biology DAAC (OB_CLOUD) via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the Sentinel-3B OLCI instrument.

Freshness

Near real-time (NRT).

Geography

Global.