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Description

MODIS (or Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. Terra's orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths (see MODIS Technical Specifications). These data will improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of validated, global, interactive Earth system models able to predict global change accurately enough to assist policy makers in making sound decisions concerning the protection of our environment.

Version Description

Reprocessing of Ocean Color (OC) Datasets

Product Summary

Platforms
Aqua
Instruments
MODIS
Spatial Extent

N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180

Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
2002-07-04 to Present
Data Partner
Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) ,
Ocean Biology Distributed Active Archive Center (OB.DAAC), Global Change Data Center, Earth Sciences Division, Science and Exploration Directorate, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA (NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/GCDC/OB.DAAC)
Concept ID
C3380708980-OB_CLOUD
Data State
ACTIVE
Number of Files/Granules
1408840
Processing Level
2
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Ocean Color ,
Reflectance ,
Aerosol Optical Depth/Thickness ,
Angstrom Exponent ,
Chlorophyll Concentration ,
Attenuation/Transmission ,
Organic Carbon ,
Fluorescence ,
Photosynthetically Active Radiation

Citation

Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.

Copy Citation

NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group. (2025). Aqua MODIS Level-2 Regional Ocean Color (OC) Data, version 2022.0 [Data set]. NASA Ocean Biology Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/AQUA/MODIS/L2/OC/2022.0 Date Accessed: 2025-12-14

Documents

Variables

Variables are a set of physical properties whose values determine the characteristics or behavior of something. For example, temperature and pressure are variables of the atmosphere. Parameters and variables can be used interchangeably. Variable level attributes provide individual information for each variable.

The Name in this table is the variable name. Fill value indicates missing or undefined data points in a variable. Valid range is the range of values the variable can store. Scale factor is used to increase or decrease the size of an object and can be used to correct for distortion. For questions on a specific variable, please use the Earthdata Forum.

Name Description Units Data Type Fill Value Valid Range Scale Factor
geophysical_data/angstrom Aerosol Angstrom exponent, 443 to 865 nm N/A int16 -32767 -30000 to 5000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/aot_869 Aerosol optical thickness at 869 nm N/A int16 -32767 0 to 30000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/chlor_a Chlorophyll Concentration, OCI Algorithm mg m^-3 float32 -32767 0.0010000000474975 to 100 N/A
geophysical_data/ipar Instantaneous Photosynthetically Available Radiation micromol m^-2 s^-1 int16 -32767 N/A 0.10000000149012
geophysical_data/Kd_490 Diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm, KD2 algorithm m^-1 int16 -32767 50 to 30000 0.00019999999494758
geophysical_data/l2_flags Level-2 Processing Flags N/A int32 N/A -2147483648 to 2147483647 N/A
geophysical_data/nflh Normalized Fluorescence Line Height W m^-2 um^-1 sr^-1 int16 -32767 -26471 to 32353 8.4999999671709E-5
geophysical_data/par Photosynthetically Available Radiation, R. Frouin mol m^-2 day^-1 int16 -32767 -32750 to 32250 0.0020000000949949
geophysical_data/pic Calcite Concentration, Balch and Gordon mol m^-3 int16 -32767 -32500 to 30000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/poc Particulate Organic Carbon, D. Stramski, 2007 (443/555 version) mg m^-3 int16 -32767 -32000 to -27000 0.20000000298023
geophysical_data/Rrs_412 Remote sensing reflectance at 412 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/Rrs_443 Remote sensing reflectance at 443 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/Rrs_469 Remote sensing reflectance at 469 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/Rrs_488 Remote sensing reflectance at 488 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/Rrs_531 Remote sensing reflectance at 531 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/Rrs_547 Remote sensing reflectance at 547 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/Rrs_555 Remote sensing reflectance at 555 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/Rrs_645 Remote sensing reflectance at 645 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/Rrs_667 Remote sensing reflectance at 667 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
geophysical_data/Rrs_678 Remote sensing reflectance at 678 nm sr^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 1.9999999949505E-6
navigation_data/latitude Latitude degrees_north float32 -999 -90 to 90 N/A
navigation_data/longitude Longitude degrees_east float32 -999 -180 to 180 N/A
navigation_data/tilt Sensor tilt angle degree float32 -32767 -25 to 25 N/A
scan_line_attributes/clat Center Latitude degrees_north float32 -999 -90 to 90 N/A
scan_line_attributes/clon Center Longitude degrees_east float32 -999 -180 to 180 N/A
scan_line_attributes/csol_z Center Solar Zenith Angle degree float32 -999 -90 to 90 N/A
scan_line_attributes/day Scan day of year days int32 -32767 0 to 366 N/A
scan_line_attributes/detnum Detector Number (zero-based) N/A int8 -1 0 to 25 N/A
scan_line_attributes/elat Ending Latitude degrees_north float32 -999 -90 to 90 N/A
scan_line_attributes/elon Ending Longitude degrees_east float32 -999 -180 to 180 N/A
scan_line_attributes/msec Scan time, milliseconds of day milliseconds int32 -32767 0 to 86400000 N/A
scan_line_attributes/mside Mirror Side (zero-based) N/A int8 -1 0 to 1 N/A
scan_line_attributes/slat Starting Latitude degrees_north float32 -999 -90 to 90 N/A
scan_line_attributes/slon Starting Longitude degrees_east float32 -999 -180 to 180 N/A
scan_line_attributes/time scan line time in seconds since 1970-1-1 seconds since 1970-1-1 float64 -32767 N/A N/A
scan_line_attributes/year Scan year years int32 -32767 1900 to 2100 N/A
sensor_band_parameters/aw Band-pass averaged absorption coefficient for seawater m^-1 float32 -32767 9.9999997473788E-5 to 5 N/A
sensor_band_parameters/bbw Band-pass averaged backscattering coefficient for seawater m^-1 float32 -32767 4.9999998736894E-6 to 1 N/A
sensor_band_parameters/F0 Mean Solar Flux W m^-2 um^-1 float32 -32767 0 to 250 N/A
sensor_band_parameters/k_no2 NO2 Absorption cross-sections cm^2 molecule^-1 float32 -32767 0 to 0.10000000149012 N/A
sensor_band_parameters/k_oz Ozone Absorption cross-sections cm^-1 float32 -32767 0 to 0.10000000149012 N/A
sensor_band_parameters/Tau_r Rayleigh Optical Thickness N/A float32 -32767 0 to 0.5 N/A
sensor_band_parameters/vcal_gain Vicarious Calibration Gain N/A float32 -32767 0 to 2 N/A
sensor_band_parameters/vcal_offset Vicarious Calibration Offset mW cm^-2 um^-1 sr^-1 float32 -32767 0 to 10 N/A
sensor_band_parameters/wavelength wavelengths nm int32 -32767 0 to 20000 N/A
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