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Full catalog/MODISA_L3m_POC
MODISA_L3m_POC·v2022.0·dataset

Carbon in tiny ocean particles (Aqua)

Aqua MODIS Level-3 Global Mapped Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) Data, version 2022.0
ocean NASA OB_CLOUD Level 3 active netCDF-4
In plain English

What it measures. Maps of how much particulate organic carbon (carbon held in tiny particles and organisms) is in surface seawater, reported in milligrams of carbon per cubic meter.

How it's made. Derived from ocean-color reflectance measured by the MODIS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite, processed into global mapped grids.

How & where you'd use it. Used to estimate ocean carbon stocks and to study the ocean's biology and carbon cycle, often alongside chlorophyll and other ocean-color products.

What's measured

Oceans › Ocean Chemistry › Organic CarbonOCEANS › OCEAN CHEMISTRY › CARBONOCEANS › OCEAN OPTICS

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span2002-07-04 → ongoing
  • Measured byAqua (MODIS)
  • Processing levelLevel 3
  • Spatial extent-180, -90, 180, 90
  • FormatsnetCDF-4
  • StatusACTIVE

What you can do with it

  • Watch sea-surface temperature and marine heatwaves
  • Spot algal blooms and ocean-colour shifts
  • Support fisheries and coastal monitoring
Official description

The Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) data suite includes product of particulate organic carbon concentration from ocean-color reflectance. POC is widely used to quantify surface carbon stocks, support biogeochemical and export-flux studies, and provide ecological context alongside chlor_a, bbp, Kd_490, and SST. Geophysical variables in this suite include: - poc - Particulate Organic Carbon (mg C m⁻³), D. Stramski, 2007 (443/555 version)

Get the data

modisa_l3m_poc_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="MODISA_L3m_POC",
    version="2022.0",
    bounding_box=(-122.5, 37.2, -121.8, 37.9),  # your area (W,S,E,N)
    temporal=("2024-01-01", "2024-12-31"),       # your dates
)
files = earthaccess.open(results)   # stream straight from OB_CLOUD
Browsing CMR needs no login. Downloading or streaming bytes needs a free Earthdata Login + the earthaccess package.