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Full catalog/PACE_OCI_L1A_SCI
PACE_OCI_L1A_SCI·v2·dataset

Raw ocean-color camera data (PACE)

PACE OCI Level-1A Science Data, version 2
ocean NASA OB_CLOUD Level 1 active netCDF-4
In plain English

What it measures. The rawest form of data from PACE's ocean-color camera: full-resolution, time-stamped instrument readings that have not yet been turned into science measurements, packaged with the calibration and pointing information needed to process them.

How it's made. Comes straight from the OCI instrument on NASA's PACE satellite as reconstructed, unprocessed Level-1A data, annotated with the extra details required for later steps.

How & where you'd use it. A building-block input used mainly by data processors to create higher-level ocean-color products; most users work with those finished products instead.

What's measured

OCEANS › OCEAN OPTICSSPECTRAL/ENGINEERING › PLATFORM CHARACTERISTICS › CALIBRATIONSPECTRAL/ENGINEERING › INFRARED WAVELENGTHSSPECTRAL/ENGINEERING › SENSOR CHARACTERISTICSSPECTRAL/ENGINEERING › VISIBLE WAVELENGTHS

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span2024-03-05 → ongoing
  • Measured byPACE (OCI)
  • Processing levelLevel 1
  • 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

Level 1A (L1A) data are reconstructed, unprocessed instrument data at full resolution, time-referenced, and annotated with ancillary information. This ancillary information can include radiometric and geometric calibration coefficients and georeferencing parameters (e.g., platform ephemeris).

Get the data

pace_oci_l1a_sci_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="PACE_OCI_L1A_SCI",
    version="2",
    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.