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Full catalog/PACE_OCI_L3M_CLOUD_NRT
PACE_OCI_L3M_CLOUD_NRT·v3.1·dataset

Cloud properties worldwide, near real-time (PACE OCI)

PACE OCI Level-3 Global Mapped Cloud Optical Properties - Near Real-time (NRT) Data, version 3.1
land NASA OB_CLOUD Level 3 active netCDF-4
In plain English

What it measures. Worldwide maps of cloud characteristics, including how much of the sky is covered by ice versus liquid clouds, the size of cloud particles, cloud thickness, water content, and the height, pressure, and temperature of cloud tops.

How it's made. Produced from the OCI instrument on the PACE satellite as quick-turnaround, near-real-time data, which trades some accuracy for speed and is mapped onto a global grid.

How & where you'd use it. Helps with screening clouds out of ocean-color measurements, studying how clouds interact with sunlight, and pairing cloud data with ocean observations like chlorophyll.

What's measured

Spectral/Engineering › Visible WavelengthsATMOSPHERE › CLOUDSATMOSPHERE › CLOUDS › CLOUD PROPERTIESATMOSPHERE › CLOUDS › CLOUD MICROPHYSICSATMOSPHERE › CLOUDS › CLOUD MICROPHYSICS › CLOUD OPTICAL DEPTH/THICKNESS

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span2024-03-05 → ongoing
  • Measured byPACE (OCI)
  • Processing levelLevel 3
  • Spatial extent-180, -90, 180, 90
  • FormatsnetCDF-4
  • StatusACTIVE

What you can do with it

  • Track deforestation, fire scars and land-cover change
  • Monitor crop and vegetation health (NDVI/EVI)
  • Map how built-up vs. green an area is over time
Official description

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 CLOUD data suite provides per-pixel microphysics and macrophysics to support cloud/climate applications. Typical uses: screening clouds for atmospheric correction, evaluating cloud–radiation interactions, and joint analyses with ocean-color variables (e.g., chlorophyll, Rrs). Core geophysical variables in this suite include: - cloud_fraction — Cloud fraction (unitless; 0–1) - ice_cloud — Ice cloud fraction (unitless; 0–1) - water_cloud — Water cloud fraction (unitless; 0–1) - cer_16 / cer_21 / cer_22 — Cloud particle effective radius (µm) retrieved from two-channel methods using near-IR bands (1.6, 2.1, or 2.2 µm) paired with a non-absorbing band - cot_16 / cot_21 / cot_22 — Cloud optical thickness (unitless) retrieved from two-channel methods using near-IR bands - cwp_16 / cwp_21 / cwp_22 — Cloud water path (g m⁻²) retrieved from two-channel methods using near-IR bands - cth — Cloud top height (m) - ctp — Cloud top pressure (hPa) - ctt — Cloud top temperature (K)

Get the data

pace_oci_l3m_cloud_nrt_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="PACE_OCI_L3M_CLOUD_NRT",
    version="3.1",
    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.