Terra MODIS Global Binned Particulate Inorganic Carbon (PIC) - Near Real Time Data

Near real-time (NRT) global satellite data for Particulate Inorganic Carbon (PIC) in the ocean, produced by the NASA Ocean Biology DAAC. The dataset provides a quicklook snapshot using the best-available ancillary data from meteorological and ozone sources during a short time period within a single orbit. This version is R2022.0.

Use Cases

• Monitoring global ocean carbon dynamics based on Particulate Inorganic Carbon (PIC) measurements.
• Studying phytoplankton activity and calcification based on near real-time satellite snapshots.
• Assimilating quicklook ocean biogeochemistry data into forecasting models based on the described NRT product.
• Analyzing short-term, orbit-scale variability in marine inorganic carbon based on the single-orbit snapshot data.

Strengths

• Provides near real-time (NRT) data for timely analysis.
• Produced by NASA's Ocean Biology DAAC, an authoritative source for ocean satellite data.
• Offers a global, binned spatial coverage for particulate inorganic carbon.

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 description notes inputs and calibration are 'less than optimal' for these quicklook products.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing data from the Terra MODIS instrument, processed into binned products.

Time Range

Near real-time, single-orbit snapshots.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 19:34:34.121628; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global ocean coverage.