PACE OCI Level-3 Global Binned Ocean Color Inherent Optical Properties (OC_IOP) - Near Real-time (NRT) Data, version 3.1

The Ocean Biology DAAC produces near real-time (NRT) products using the best-available combination of ancillary data from meteorological and ozone data. As such, the inputs and the calibration used are less than optimal. Near real-time products provide a snapshot of the data during a short time period within a single orbit.

The Inherent Optical Properties (IOP) suite provides per-pixel inherent optical properties - quantities that 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) model framework. 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 apparent (AOP) products.

The hyperspctral band list is found in the science data file metadata.

Geophysical variables in this suite include: - Kd - Diffuse attenuation coefficient of downwelling irradiance (m^-1) - a - Total absorption coefficient (sum of pure water + phytoplankton + CDOM/detritus, m^-1) - bb - Total backscattering coefficient (m^-1) - aph - Phytoplankton absorption coefficient (m^-1) - aph_unc_442 - Uncertainty in absorption due to phytoplankton at 442 nm (m^-1) - adg_442 - Combined CDOM + non-algal detritus absorption coefficient at 442nm (m^-1) - adg_unc_442 - Uncertainty in absorption due to gelbstoff and detrital material at 442 nm (m^-1) - bbp_442 - Particulate backscattering coefficient at 442nm (m^-1) - bbp_unc_442 - Uncertainty in particulate backscattering at 442 nm (m^-1) - rrsdiff - Fractional mean Rrs difference (reconstructed from inverted IOPs - input) (unitless)

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Maintainer Earthdata Forum
Last Updated June 9, 2026, 00:05 (UTC)
Created May 18, 2026, 22:08 (UTC)
accessLevel public
bureauCode {026:00}
catalog_conformsTo https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
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harvest_source_id b99e41c6-fe79-4c19-bbc3-9b6c8111bfac
harvest_source_title Science Discovery Engine
identifier /SDE/CMR_API/|C3620140130-OB_CLOUD
license https://www.usa.gov/government-works
modified 2026-06-03T16:52:52Z
programCode {026:000}
publisher NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/GCDC/OB.DAAC;OBPG
resource-type Dataset
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spatial ["CARTESIAN", [{"EastBoundingCoordinate": 180, "NorthBoundingCoordinate": 90, "SouthBoundingCoordinate": -90, "WestBoundingCoordinate": -180}]]
temporal 2024-03-05/2026-06-03
theme {"Earth Science"}