Access PACE Data

Public PACE data release began on 11 April 2024. Reprocessing Version 2 is now available.

Reprocessing Version 2 is the first full mission reprocessing, and primarily serves to incorporate improved calibration knowledge from on-orbit measurements collected by the three PACE instruments. The reprocessing will also include all standard science mode data collected during the PACE commissioning period, starting from instrument engineering first light in February 2024. Furthermore, an expanded set of OCI Level-2 science data products is being released at this time.

These data are in a preliminary state and should be used with caution. While Version 2 reprocessing includes significant updates, there are many features in the data that are under investigation and several calibrations remain to be applied (e.g., system vicarious calibration). We welcome your input and discoveries, but also request your continued patience while we continue to improve the data and implement advanced algorithms. Frequent updates and reprocessings to incorporate post-launch calibration knowledge, algorithm refinements, and additional data products should be expected.

PACE Data Resources

• Release notes for Version 2
• Release notes for Version 1
• A complete list of science data products, including maturity levels and the status of current and pending data availability for each product
• Information on working with PACE data

Options for accessing PACE data

PACE data are accessible through several options described on the Ocean Biology (OB) DAAC Find Data and NASA Earthdata web sites.

Three primary options include:

• Earthdata Search OB.DAAC portal
• OB.DAAC Level 3 & 4 Browser (Note: Within the "Product Status" pulldown select "Provisional" or "Testing" to view data.)
• OB.DAAC File Search

The OB.DAAC Level 1 & 2 browser does not support access to PACE data.

PACE orbit lines, true color, and chlorophyll data are also viewable on Worldview.

Access by Maturity Level

Access to data varies with data maturity level. Level-1 data from OCI, HARP2, and SPEXone are classified as Provisional. The limited suite of OCI Level-2 and -3 derived products are classified as Provisional, Diagnostic, and/or Test.

• Provisional Level-1 and -2 data are available through Earthdata Search and the OB.DAAC File Search. Provisional Level-3 data are available via all three options. Note that only Provisional data are available through Earthdata Search.
• Test and Diagnostic Level-2 data are available through the OB.DAAC File Search. Test and Diagnostic Level-3 data are available through the OB.DAAC Level 3 & 4 Browser and File Search. Note that Test and Diagnostic data are not available through Earthdata Search.

The 11 April 2024 limited release of OCI derived products included:

• The ocean apparent optical properties suite (OC_AOP): spectral remote sensing reflectances and uncertainties (Provisional), apparent visible wavelength (Provisional), aerosol optical thickness (Diagnostic), and aerosol angstrom exponent (Diagnostic). Note that these aerosol properties represent the atmospheric correction outputs for OC retrieval, and not the atmospheres discipline algorithms.
• The ocean inherent optical properties suite (OC_IOP): spectral total absorption and backscattering coefficients and uncertainties (Provisional), spectral component absorption and backscattering coefficients (Provisional), and spectral diffuse attenuation coefficients (Provisional).
• The ocean biogeochemical properties suite (OC_BGC): phytoplankton chlorophyll-a and uncertainties (Provisional), phytoplankton carbon and uncertainties (Test), and particulate organic carbon (Test).
• The ocean photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) suite: daily and instantaneous planar and scalar PAR, both above and below the ocean surface (Test).

The Version 2 reprocessing also includes the following test OCI data products:

• A cloud mask suite (CLDMASK): cloud mask and cloud-adjacent mask (both Test)
• A cloud optical properties and altitude suite (CLD): cloud top pressure, cloud top temperature, cloud top height, cloud effective radius, cloud optical thickness, cloud water path, and cloud phase (all Test)
• A surface reflectance suite (SFREFL): spectral terrestrial and aquatic surface reflectances (Test)
• A land surface indices suite (LAND): enhanced vegetation index, normalized difference vegetation index, normalized difference water index, normalized difference infrared index, normalized difference snow index, chlorophyll-carotenoid index, carotenoid content index, chlorophyll index red edge, photochemical reflectance index, and modified anthocyanin reflectance index (all Test)

Note that uncertainties for selected products are only provided at Level-2.

Additional Derived Products

Additional derived products from OCI, HARP2, and SPEXone will be released after forthcoming evaluations by the algorithm providers and PACE Project.

More

Questions? Please post them to the Earthdata Forum.

Want to stay informed? Join the PACE Community of Practice and visit the PACE Web site to follow along with What's New on the front page.