Terra MODIS Remote Sensing Reflectance Data for Ocean Applications

Version 2022.0 of the Terra MODIS Level-3 Global Binned Remote Sensing Reflectance (RRS) dataset provides the ratio of water-leaving radiance to downwelling irradiance just above the water surface. The data likely contains reflectance values for specific spectral bands (e.g., Rrs_412, Rrs_443) and is produced by NASA's Earthdata platform. It serves as a foundational observable for retrieving oceanographic products.

Use Cases

• Retrieving chlorophyll-a concentration (chlor_a) based on remote sensing reflectance values.
• Calculating the diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm (Kd_490) based on spectral reflectance.
• Estimating inherent optical properties (IOPs) of water bodies based on reflectance spectra.
• Validating ocean color algorithms based on the foundational Rrs observable.
• Monitoring coastal and inland water quality based on reflectance data flagged for complex optical conditions.

Strengths

• Data is a Level-3 global binned product, suggesting systematic processing.
• Variables are named by their band center (e.g., Rrs_412, Rrs_443), indicating spectral specificity.
• Includes per-file quality flags for land, cloud, sun glint, and high aerosol, aiding data filtering.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic or temporal bias inherent to the MODIS sensor and processing.

Provenance

Source

NASA Earthdata (OB_CLOUD)

Collection Method

Satellite remote sensing from the Terra MODIS instrument.

Geography

Global