Skip to main content

Description

This dataset leverages data from MODIS (Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) onboard the Aqua (EOS PM) satellite. Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Aqua MODIS is 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). This dataset reprocessed level 4 products from MODIS-Aqua (chlorophyll concentration, diffusive light attenuation coefficient, particulate organic carbon concentration, depth of the euphotic zone, sea surface temperature, photosynthetically active radiation) at multiple spatio-temporal resolutions, ranging from 1 day / 9 km to a 10-year climatological average at 500 km resolution.

Product Summary

Platforms
Aqua
Instruments
MODIS
Spatial Extent

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

Geographic Region
GLOBAL OCEAN
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
CARTESIAN
Temporal Extent
2002-07-04 to 2021-10-31
Data Partner
Ocean Exploration, Remote Sensing and Biogeography Laboratory; College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment; University of Delaware (UDEL/CEOE/ORB_LAB) ,
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
C3534747104-OB_CLOUD
Data State
COMPLETE
Number of Files/Granules
228
Processing Level
4
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Sea Surface Skin Temperature ,
Optical Depth ,
Photosynthetically Active Radiation ,
Attenuation/Transmission ,
Organic Carbon ,
Pigments>Chlorophyll ,
Chlorophyll

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 Global Mapped Eulerian and Lagrangian Oceanography and Ecology Variables Data, version 1 [Data set]. NASA Ocean Biology Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/AQUA/MODIS/L4M/ELOEV/1 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
chl_ocx Chlorophyll Concentration, OC3 Algorithm mg m^-3 float32 -999 0.0010000000474975 to 100 N/A
kd_490 Diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm, KD2 algorithm m^-1 float32 -999 0.0099999997764826 to 6 N/A
lat Latitude degrees_north float64 N/A -90 to 90 N/A
lon Longitude degrees_east float64 N/A -180 to 180 N/A
par Photosynthetically Available Radiation, R. Frouin einstein m^-2 day^-1 float32 -999 0 to 130 N/A
poc Particulate Organic Carbon, D. Stramski, 2007 (443/555 version) mg m^-3 float32 -999 0 to 1000 N/A
sst Sea Surface Temperature degree_C float32 -999 -2 to 45 N/A
time time seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00 int32 N/A N/A N/A
Zeu_lee Euphotic depth, Lee algorithm m float32 -999 0 to 180 N/A
You're viewing 9 of 9