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Ocean Color Data Access and Tools
NASA has ocean color datasets that help researchers study the composition of ocean water and the processes that take place within it. Access a range of data and data tools such as AppEEARS, SeaDAS, and Giovanni to make the most of ocean color data.
Ocean Color Datasets
| Dataset | Platforms | Instruments | Temporal Extent | Location Keywords | Spatial Extent | Data Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADEOS-I OCTS Level-1A Data, version 2 | ADEOS-I | OCTS | 1996-10-31 to 1997-06-30 | N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 | netCDF-4 | |
| ADEOS-I OCTS Level-2 Regional Ocean Color (OC) Data, version 2022.0 | ADEOS-I | OCTS | 1996-10-31 to 1997-06-30 | N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 | netCDF-4 | |
| Aqua MODIS Level-2 Regional Ocean Color (OC) - Near Real-time (NRT) Data, version 2022.0 | Aqua | MODIS | 2002-07-04 to Present | N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 | netCDF-4 | |
| Aqua MODIS Level-2 Regional Ocean Color (OC) Data, version 2022.0 | Aqua | MODIS | 2002-07-04 to Present | N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 | netCDF-4 | |
| CALIPSO CALIOP Regional Particulate Backscattering Coefficient (Bbp) Data, version 1 | CALIPSO | CALIOP | 2006-04-28 to 2018-09-14 | GLOBAL OCEAN | N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 | netCDF-4 |
| COMS GOCI Level-1B Data, version 1 | COMS | GOCI | 2011-04-01 to 2021-03-31 | N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 | application/gzip | |
| COMS GOCI Level-2 Regional Ocean Color (OC) Data, version 2014.0 | COMS | GOCI | 2010-06-26 to 2021-03-31 | N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 | netCDF-4 | |
| DSCOVR EPIC Level 3 PAR | DSCOVR | EPIC | 2015-06-13 to Present | GLOBAL | HDF5 | |
| DSCOVR EPIC Level 3 PAR Image | DSCOVR | EPIC | 2015-06-13 to Present | GLOBAL | PNG | |
| ENVISAT MERIS Level-2 Regional Full Resolution, Full Swath (FRS) Ocean Color (OC) Data, version 2022.0 | ENVISAT | MERIS | 2002-03-21 to 2012-05-09 | N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180 | netCDF-4 |
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Featured Ocean Color Observation Method: PACE
NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) platform measures the presence of phytoplankton, which are microscopic marine algae that can tint the ocean green and other colors. Phytoplankton function like plants in the ocean because they take up carbon dioxide and use it in photosynthesis to produce carbohydrates and oxygen. Phytoplankton help form the base of the ocean's food chain and are a key component of the carbon cycle. PACE and its optical spectrometer called the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) can observe light reflected by phytoplankton and the ocean in unprecedented detail to provide essential data on its condition and health.
Join members of NASA's Ocean Biology Distributed Active Archive Center (OB.DAAC) to learn about data from the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission and how to discover, access, and use PACE data.
Simulated data help Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) users prepare a day in the life of the new satellite.
6 MIN READ
A series of Jupyter notebook tutorials show how to retrieve and use data from NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission.
MEaSUREs 2006 project focused on creating and distributing a variety of established and new Ocean Color products as candidates to become ESDRs.
Ocean Color Data Tools
| Tool Sort descending | Description | Services | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Color Level 3 and 4 Browser | The Ocean Color Level 3 and 4 Browser allows users to view, download, or order global composites at various spatial and temporal scales (level 3) or get results from analyses of lower-level data (level 4). | Analysis, Search and Discovery, Visualization | |
| SeaDAS | Sea, earth, atmosphere Data Analysis System (SeaDAS) is a comprehensive image analysis package for the processing, display, analysis, and quality control of ocean color data. | Analysis, Visualization, Processing |
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