Ocean Color

The NOAA Multi-Sensor Level-1 to Level-2 (MSL12) Ocean Color, science quality, multi-sensor global gap-filled analysis includes chlorophyll-a, K_d(490), and SPM products. These global gap-free data are generated using the data interpolating empirical orthogonal function (DINEOF) method (Liu and Wang, 2022). The data that go into this product currently come from 3 instruments: the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite, VIIRS on the NOAA-20 satellite, plus the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) on the Sentinel 3A satellite from the Copernicus program of the European Union.

VIIRS Ocean Color multi-sensor gap-filled analysis (Level 4) is produced with input from the VIIRS multi-sensor (SNPP + NOAA-20) daily merged chlorophyll and monthly climatology using the DINEOF method of interpolation for gap-filling.  The chlorophyll algorithm used is OCI.  The NOAA ocean color science team provides the gap-filled data file to NOAA CoastWatch.  CoastWatch converts these to the NetCDF product and serves them.

VIIRS Science Quality Ocean Color Level 2 (EDR) is produced by NOAA/STAR Ocean Color Team through NOAA Multi-Sensor Level 1 to Level 2 processing system (MSL12) using an improved calibration for the satellite data record (OC-SDR, which is Level 1b).  CoastWatch Level-3 composites, binned and mapped data products also available.

OLCI Sentinel-3A and 3B regional coverage (US coasts of interest, a.k.a. "CONUS" but including Hawaii) Level-3 mapped daily composites of ocean color remote sensing reflectances (Rrs(λ), chlorophyll-a concentration and derived water quality related products including diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm (Kd490),  normalized fluorescence line height (NLFH), and total suspended matter (TSM) from the EUMETSAT processing.

OLCI Sentinel-3A and 3B global coverage ocean color including visible remote sensing reflectances and derived parameters such as chlorophyll-a concentration and light attenuation coefficients.

Ocean Color Level 2 (EDR) is produced through NOAA Multi-Sensor Level 1 to Level 2 processing system (MSL12) from IDPS satellite data record (SDR, Level 1b).  Level 3 mapped and composite products are also available, now including a 2-sensor (VIIRS:  SNPP plus NOAA-20) merged daily chlorophyll and diffuse attenuation coefficients (Kd(490) and Kd(PAR) .

Near-real-time (NRT) global daily chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) anomaly products that can be used to detect and identify algae blooms from satellite ocean color measurements such as those from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) and NOAA-20. Specifically, the production of the two Chl-a anomaly products, one for the Chl-a anomaly in difference and another for the Chl-a anomaly ratio (actually, the proportional difference or relative difference; product is labelled "pdif" in the files) compared to the 61-day Chl-a median value from the previous time period (as a Chl-a reference), has been implemented in the daily global NRT satellite data processing. These two Chl-a anomaly products represent the global ocean and coastal/inland water Chl-a abnormal condition for a given location and can provide more complete characteristics for the daily phytoplankton (or algae) biomass status by comparing to the normal condition. 

VIIRS Ocean Color multi-sensor (SNPP + NOAA-20) daily merge (Level 3 composite) is produced from the NOAA Multi-Sensor Level 1 to Level 2 processing system (MSL12) near real time processing stream by the NOAA ocean color science team.  NOAA CoastWatch converts files to NetCDF and serves them here.

VIIRS Ocean Color multi-sensor gap-filled analysis (Level 4) is produced with input from the VIIRS multi-sensor (SNPP + NOAA-20) daily merged chlorophyll and monthly climatology using the DINEOF method of interpolation for gap-filling.  The chlorophyll algoritm used is OCI.  The NOAA ocean color science team provides the gap-filled data file to NOAA CoastWatch.  CoastWatch converts these to the NetCDF product and serves them.

The Marine Optical BuoY (MOBY) is a NOAA funded project to provide vicarious calibration of ocean color satellites (SeaWiFS, MODIS, and VIIRS ). MOBY is an autonomous optical buoy which is moored off the island of Lanai in Hawaii. The system was designed for measuring sunlight incident on and scattered out of the ocean. These measurements are provided in near real time for the vicarious calibration procedures conducted by ocean color scientists.