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Description

The SeaWiFS instrument was launched by Orbital Sciences Corporation on the OrbView-2 (a.k.a. SeaStar) satellite in August 1997, and collected data from September 1997 until the end of mission in December 2010. SeaWiFS had 8 spectral bands from 412 to 865 nm. It collected global data at 4 km resolution, and local data (limited onboard storage and direct broadcast) at 1 km. The mission and sensor were optimized for ocean color measurements, with a local noon (descending) equator crossing time orbit, fore-and-aft tilt capability, full dynamic range, and low polarization sensitivity.

Version Description

Reprocessing of Ocean Color (OC) Datasets

Product Summary

Platforms
OrbView-2
Instruments
SeaWiFS
Spatial Extent

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

Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
1997-09-04 to 2010-12-11
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
C3198658845-OB_CLOUD
Data State
COMPLETE
Number of Files/Granules
68595
Processing Level
2
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Reflectance

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). OrbView-2 SeaWiFS Level-2 Regional Global Area Coverage (GAC) Inherent Optical Properties (IOP) Data, version 2022.0 [Data set]. NASA Ocean Biology Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/ORBVIEW-2/SEAWIFS/L2/GAC/IOP/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/adg_443 Absorption due to gelbstoff and detrital material at 443 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -30000 to 25000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/adg_s detrital and gelbstoff absorption spectral parameter for GIOP model m^-1 nm^-1 float32 -32767 0 to 5 N/A
geophysical_data/adg_unc_443 Uncertainty in absorption due to gelbstoff and detrital material at 443 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -24999 to 25000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/aph_443 Absorption due to phytoplankton at 443 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -24999 to 25000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/aph_unc_443 Uncertainty in absorption due to phytoplankton at 443 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -24999 to 25000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/a_412 Total absorption at 412 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -24999 to 32000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/a_443 Total absorption at 443 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -24999 to 32000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/a_490 Total absorption at 490 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -24999 to 32000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/a_510 Total absorption at 510 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -24999 to 32000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/a_555 Total absorption at 555 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -24999 to 32000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/a_670 Total absorption at 670 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -24999 to 32000 9.9999997473788E-5
geophysical_data/bbp_443 Particulate backscattering at 443 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -27999 to 2000 4.9999998736894E-6
geophysical_data/bbp_s backscattering spectral parameter for GIOP model m^-1 nm^-1 float32 -32767 -3 to 3 N/A
geophysical_data/bbp_unc_443 Uncertainty in particulate backscatter at 443 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -27999 to 32000 4.9999998736894E-6
geophysical_data/bb_412 Total backscattering at 412 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -27999 to 32000 4.9999998736894E-6
geophysical_data/bb_443 Total backscattering at 443 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -27999 to 32000 4.9999998736894E-6
geophysical_data/bb_490 Total backscattering at 490 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -27999 to 32000 4.9999998736894E-6
geophysical_data/bb_510 Total backscattering at 510 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -27999 to 32000 4.9999998736894E-6
geophysical_data/bb_555 Total backscattering at 555 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -27999 to 32000 4.9999998736894E-6
geophysical_data/bb_670 Total backscattering at 670 nm, GIOP model m^-1 int16 -32767 -27999 to 32000 4.9999998736894E-6
geophysical_data/l2_flags Level-2 Processing Flags N/A int32 N/A -2147483648 to 2147483647 N/A
geophysical_data/rrsdiff Fractional mean Rrs difference, GIOP model N/A float32 -32767 N/A N/A
navigation_data/cntl_pt_cols navigation_data/cntl_pt_cols N/A int32 -32767 0 to 10000 N/A
navigation_data/cntl_pt_rows navigation_data/cntl_pt_rows N/A int32 -32767 0 to 10000 N/A
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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