Data Products Overview

MAPOL_OCEAN provides simultaneous aerosol and ocean color products using the Fast Multi-Angle Polarimetric Ocean and Land algorithm (FastMAPOL). The retrievals jointly solve for aerosol and ocean parameters with a coupled atmosphere and ocean vector radiative-transfer model, accelerated by deep neural networks to improve speed and accuracy. The retrieved aerosol properties are then used to derive angular water leaving signals through multi-angle atmospheric corrections. Use these products for advanced aerosol and ocean color studies, cross-sensor and cross-algorithm data product analysis.

AER_RTAP provides aerosol properties retrieved using the RemoTAP algorithm. The suite includes variables for characterizing aerosol loading, size, and absorption. Use AER_RTAP for air-quality and climate studies, aerosol context for ocean-color atmospheric correction, and model evaluation.

AER_RTAPLAND provides aerosol and land?surface properties over land retrieved using the RemoTAP algorithm. Because RemoTAP jointly models surface and atmosphere over land, the suite also provides spectrally resolved land-surface BRDF and BPDF parameters for reflectance and polarization. Typical uses: air-quality and climate studies, aerosol context for ocean-color/land analyses, radiative transfer, and model evaluation.

AER_RTAPOCEAN provides aerosol optical/microphysical properties retrieved over the oceans, along with coupled surface parameters used in the retrieval. The suite includes spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD), single-scattering albedo (SSA), complex refractive index (real/imaginary), size distribution metrics (e.g., fine/coarse effective radii and fine-mode fraction), and aerosol shape/fraction spherical; it also reports ocean surface roughness (glint/wind parameterization) and “ocean body” properties that define the water-leaving signal for consistency with the coupled atmosphere–ocean inversion. Use AER_RTAPOCEAN for aerosol-climate and air-quality studies, as aerosol context for ocean-color atmospheric correction, and for model evaluation and data assimilation; pair it with OCI/HARP2 products for cross-sensor analyses.

The Apparent Optical Properties (AOP) data suite provides satellite-derived measures of the interaction between solar radiation and the upper ocean. AOPs are “apparent” because they depend not only on the inherent optical properties (IOPs) of seawater and its constituents but also on the ambient light field. These variables are critical for studying light penetration, primary productivity, and biogeochemical cycling.

The Ocean Color Biogeochemical (OC_BGC) suite provides satellite-derived biogeochemical properties of the upper ocean, produced from calibrated, atmospherically corrected ocean-color inputs from PACE_OCI. These products characterize carbon pools and ecosystem status.

The Cloud Mask identifies whether pixels are cloud-covered or not. This is important because algorithms to determine cloud properties should only run on cloudy pixels, and other algorithms that require clear-sky pixels need to screen clouds out. In practice, users apply cloud_flag for strict cloud removal and cloud_flag_dilated when they want a conservative mask that reduces cloud-edge artifacts in downstream products (e.g., Rrs, chlorophyll). The CLDMASK is used operationally as the “cloud and cloud-adjacent” screen.

The Ocean Color Inherent Optical Properties suite (OC_IOP) provides per-pixel, satellite-derived derived measures of inherent optical properties (IOPs) in the upper ocean. IOPs describe how seawater and its constituents absorb and scatter light, independent of illumination or viewing geometry. IOPs are retrieved from spectral remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) using the default configuration of the Generalized Inherent Optical Properties (GIOP-DC) model framework. The spectral diffuse attenuation coefficient of downwelling irradiance (Kd) is also included in the IOP_OC suite. Kd is an apparent optical property (AOP) that is derived from IOPs using the Lee bio-optical model. Kd describes how visible light diminishes with depth in the ocean. These products support water-type classification, water-clarity assessment, biogeochemical studies, and forward/adjoint radiative-transfer applications, and they enable more robust cross-sensor comparisons than purely AOP products.

LANDVI suite provides vegetation and land-surface indices derived from surface reflectance. Six of the indices are heritage, and four are hyperspectral-enabled. Users should see documentation for more details. Users should also note that the L3M product is masked for clouds.

The MOANA collection provides picophytoplankton group abundances – Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and picoeukaryotes – derived from ocean-color (with SST as ancillary input) and reported in cells mL. Products can be used for time-series, regional biogeography, ecosystem assessments, and model evaluation. Note that retrieval accuracy can vary in optically complex coastal waters, so users should refer to flags and documentation when screening.

The CLOUD data suite provides per-pixel microphysics and macrophysics to support cloud/climate applications. Typical uses: screening clouds for atmospheric correction, evaluating cloud–radiation interactions, and joint analyses with ocean-color variables (e.g., chlorophyll, Rrs).

The Photosynthetically Available Radiation (PAR) data suite provides satellite-based estimates of the downwelling solar radiation in the 400–700 nm range that is available for photosynthesis at the ocean surface. These products quantify the daily mean or instantaneous amount of usable light energy, expressed in moles of photons m^-2 (commonly noted as Einstein m^-2), and are widely used to estimate marine primary production, interpret phytoplankton bloom dynamics, provide context for optical and biogeochemical measurements, and support ecosystem models and education on light–biology interactions.

The CLOUD_GPC suite provides cloud properties derived from the GISS Polarimetric Cloud (GPC) algorithm, along with additional variables obtained through combination with the OCI CLOUD suite. Given the novelty of implementing a polarimetric algorithm on a global scale, note that several experimental variables—particularly those intended for diagnostic purposes and future refinement—are included and may change in subsequent, more mature versions.

Surface Reflectance (SFREFL) provides the unitless, bottom-of-atmosphere reflectance of the Earth’s surface at 122 wavelengths (346 - 895 nm, with 5 SWIR bands). Surface Reflectance is the foundational input for downstream land products (e.g., vegetation indices included in the LANDVI suite). Users should review the documentation for more information on atmospheric correction and quality flags. Users should also note that the L3M product is masked for clouds.

UAVI_UAA data suite provides the Ultraviolet Absorbing Aerosol Index (UVAI) calculated using the Unified Aerosol Algorithm. UVAI is a unitless, semi-quantitative indicator of light-absorbing aerosols (e.g., smoke, mineral dust), sensitive to their amount, altitude, and absorption strength; positive values typically flag absorbing plumes, while values near/below zero indicate weakly or non-absorbing conditions. Common uses include plume detection and tracking, air-quality and climate analyses, and providing aerosol context for ocean-color atmospheric correction; users should apply recommended screening in the file attributes.

AER_UAA suite provides aerosol optical properties retrieved using the Unified Aerosol Algorithm. Core variables include measures that describe aerosol loading, size partitioning, and absorption. A companion product in the same family provides the UV Absorbing Aerosol Index (UVAI_UAA). Typical uses include air-quality and climate analyses, aerosol context for ocean-color atmospheric correction, trend studies, and model evaluation; users should refer to per-file metadata/flags for quality screening and wavelength availability.