Terra MODIS Level-3 Global Binned Photosynthetically Available Radiation (PAR) Data

NASA's Terra MODIS Level-3 Photosynthetically Available Radiation (PAR) dataset provides satellite-based estimates of downwelling solar radiation in the 400–700 nm range at the ocean surface. The data quantifies daily usable light energy in moles of photons per square meter, supporting marine primary production estimates and ecosystem modeling. It is produced by NASA's OB_CLOUD organization and represents version 2022.0.

Use Cases

• Estimating marine primary production based on daily photosynthetically available radiation.
• Interpreting phytoplankton bloom dynamics based on light energy availability.
• Providing context for in-situ optical and biogeochemical measurements based on satellite PAR estimates.
• Supporting ecosystem models based on light–biology interaction parameters.

Strengths

• Data is derived from the Terra MODIS satellite sensor, a well-established scientific instrument.
• The dataset provides a specific geophysical variable (daily PAR) relevant for a key biological process.
• The description explicitly states the data is widely used for marine primary production estimation and ecosystem models.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count, file formats, and data size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

NASA Earthdata (OB_CLOUD)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the Terra MODIS instrument.

Geography

Global, ocean surface