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EARTHDATA
Welcome to NASA's EOSDIS

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is a key core
capability in NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems Program for archiving and
distributing Earth science data from multiple missions to users.

This bar indicates that you are within the EOSDIS enterprise which includes 12
science discipline-oriented Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs)
supporting diverse user communities in science research, applied science
research, applications, as well as the general interested public.

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Ocean Color Feature

GREENLAND STILL MELTING

Sediments abound in the waters surrounding the vanishing Frederikshaab Glacier
in Southwestern Greenland. Summer 2023 has been the hottest on record,
contributing to the ongoing loss of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The increasing
influx of fresh meltwater from inland into the Ocean could affect the Atlantic
Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in the future, causing potential
further disruptions in the global climate.

See this in the Gallery

Ocean Color Feature

BIKINI ATOLL UNDER THREAT

The Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands was used as a testing ground for 24
nuclear bombs between 1946 and 1958. Craters from the violent explosions are
still evident, notably in the Northeastern part of the atoll where the Castle
Bravo (equivalent to 15 Mt of TNT) and Romeo (11 Mt) tests were conducted.

See this in the Gallery

Ocean Color Feature

LET THE SUNSHINE IN

A window opens up in the skies, letting the region’s quintessential spectacular
summer phytoplankton blooms flourish in the Norwegian and Barents Seas.

See this in the Gallery

Ocean Color Feature

MOZAMBIQUE CHANNEL EDDIES

Every year, approximately four large-scale eddies are created in the North of
the Mozambique channel and travel Southwards. They often reach 300 km in
diameter and contribute to making the region a biological hotspot. The area is
of major importance for fisheries and presents the highest diversity of fishes
caught in the Indian Ocean.

See this in the Gallery

Ocean Color Feature

FRISIAN FRILLS

A springtime plankton bloom is visible off the Frisian coast, along with
sediment plumes flowing from the Elbe, Weser, and Thames rivers. The colors from
each of those in the waters of the German Bight, combined with movements from
currents, winds, and tides create mesmerizing patterns.

See this in the Gallery

Ocean Color Feature

SMOKE ON BLUE WATERS

A clear sky gives a splendid view of most of the turquoise shallow coastal
waters of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, the Western Caribbean Sea, and the
Lucayan Archipelago, also known as the Bahama Archipelago. The region, including
the eastern part of the Caribbean not visible in this image, is home to about 9
percent of the world’s coral reefs.

See this in the Gallery



November 2023October 2023September 2023August 2023July 2023June 2023


OCEAN COLOR WEB

NASA deploys a number of Earth observing instruments that measure the spectral
nature, or color, of water. Specifically, NASA acquires, archives, and publicly
distributes such data from a variety of sources, including remote sensing ocean
color instruments on satellite and airborne platforms, as well as similar
measurements made on shipborne field campaigns, by long-duration autonomous in
situ platforms, and derived as Earth system model outputs.

The Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
has been operating and supporting the Ocean Color Web since 1996. As a Science
Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS), our responsibilities include the
collection, processing, calibration, validation of ocean-related products from a
large number of operational, satellite-based remote-sensing missions providing
ocean color, sea surface temperature and sea surface salinity data to the
international research community. As a Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC),
known as the Ocean Biology DAAC (OB.DAAC), we are responsible for the archive
and distribution of satellite ocean biology data produced or collected under
NASA EOSDIS, including those from historical missions and partner space
organizations.


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WHAT IS OCEAN COLOR?

Ocean Color is the apparent hue, shade, or tone of water that results from the
interactions of sunlight with the microscopic composition of the water column
and water itself. Typical relevant water constituents include phytoplankton,
mineral particles, and dissolved organic matter. The color of the ocean varies
with how these materials in seawater absorb and scatter photons of different
wavelengths, which varies with their composition. For example, highly productive
waters where phytoplankton are abundant can appear green, whereas less
productive waters with fewer constituents typically appear blue.

The spectral nature of color of the water, that is, the intensity at which
different wavelengths absorb and scatter photons, can be used to infer the
quality and quantity of materials that comprise natural waters - allowing
scientists, policymakers, and society as a whole to understand their composition
on local to global scales. This understanding can lend insight into how aquatic
organisms at the base of the food chain thrive or decline under changing
conditions of their environments.


OCEAN COLOR SOCIAL MEDIA


 


SUPPORTED MISSIONS


LEARN ABOUT SATELLITES AND THE INSTRUMENTS CAPTURING OCEAN COLOR DATA.


2024 (TBD) OCI

The Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) is the primary instrument aboard the Plankton,
Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission. It's optical spectrometer
will be used to measure properties of light over portions of the electromagnetic
spectrum and enable continuous measurements at finer resolutions than previous
sensors.


2022 NOV 10 NOAA-21 VIIRS

The Visible and Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is currently being
flown on the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) series on JPSS-2 (a.k.a.
NOAA-21). JPSS is a multi-platform, multi-agency program that consolidates the
polar orbiting spacecraft of NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA).


2018 DEC 3 HAWKEYE

The Hawkeye instrument, flown onboard the SeaHawk CubeSat, was optimized to
provide high quality, high resolution imagery  (120 meter) of the open ocean,
coastal zones, lakes, estuaries and land features. This ability provides a
valuable complement to the lower resolution measurements from previous missions
like SeaWiFS, MODIS and VIIRS.


2018 APR 25 S3B OLCI

The Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) is the successor to ENVISAT's Medium
Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) having additional spectral channels,
different camera arrangements and simplified on-board processing. The OLCI is a
push-broom instrument with five camera modules sharing the field of view.


2017 NOV 18 NOAA-20 VIIRS

The Visible and Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is currently being
flown on the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) series on JPSS-1 (a.k.a.
NOAA-20). JPSS is a multi-platform, multi-agency program that consolidates the
polar orbiting spacecraft of NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA).


2016 FEB 16 S3A OLCI

The Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) is the successor to ENVISAT's Medium
Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) having additional spectral channels,
different camera arrangements and simplified on-board processing. The OLCI is a
push-broom instrument with five camera modules sharing the field of view.


2011 OCT 11 SNPP VIIRS

The Visible and Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is a multi-disciplinary
instrument that was first flown on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership
(SNPP) spacecraft. VIIRS is the successor to MODIS, having 22 spectral bands, 16
moderate-resolution bands, 5 image-resolution bands, and one day-night band.


2010 JUN 26 GOCI

The Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) is one of the three payloads onboard
the Korean spacecraft Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite (COMS).
It acquires data in 8 spectral bands (6 visible, 2 NIR) with a spatial
resolution of about 500 m over the Korean sea.


2009 SEP 10 HICO

The Hyper-spectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) is based on the PHILLS
airborne imaging spectrometers. It is the first spaceborne imaging spectrometer
designed to sample the coastal ocean. During operation, HICO collected ~2000
scenes/year from around the world.


2008 FEB 28 MERIS

The Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) is a programmable,
medium-spectral resolution imaging spectrometer which acquires data over Earth
whether illumination conditions are suitable or not. Its 68.5 field-of-view
around nadir covers a swath width of 1150 km.


2004 MAY 4 MODIS-AQUA

Aqua (a.k.a. EOS PM) is a satellite in NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) that
orbits the Earth from south to north and passes over the equator in the
afternoon. The data acquired by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS) on the Aqua spacecraft complements that of Terra satellite.


1999 DEC 18 MODIS-TERRA

The key instrument on the Terra spacecraft, Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS), views the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days,
acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths to help improve
our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the
oceans, and in the lower atmosphere.


1997 AUG 1 SEAWIFS

The key instrument on the Terra spacecraft, MODIS (or Moderate Resolution
Imaging Spectroradiometer), views the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days,
acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths to help improve
our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the
oceans, and in the lower atmosphere.


1996 AUG 17 OCTS

Coastal Zone Color Scanner Experiment (CZCS) was the first instrument devoted to
the measurement of ocean color and flown on a spacecraft. Although other
instruments flown on other spacecraft had sensed ocean color, only CZCS had
every parameter optimized for use over water to the exclusion of any other type
of sensing.


1978 OCT 24 CZCS

The Japanese Space Agency (NASDA - National Space Development Agency) launched
the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) carrying the Ocean Color and
Temperature Scanner (OCTS) instrument aboard. OCTS is an optical radiometer with
12 bands covering the visible, near infrared and thermal infrared regions.








PACE MISSION TIMELINE



2012

2015

2017

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

 


THE UPCOMING PACE MISSION

PACE is NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem mission, currently in
the design phase of mission development. It is scheduled to launch in 2024,
extending and improving NASA's over 20-year record of satellite observations of
global ocean biology, aerosols (tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere), and
clouds.

PACE will advance the assessment of ocean health by measuring the distribution
of phytoplankton, tiny plants and algae that sustain the marine food web. It
will also continue systematic records of key atmospheric variables associated
with air quality and Earth's climate.

PACE has two fundamental science goals:

 * To extend key systematic ocean color, aerosol, and cloud data records for
   Earth system and climate studies.
 * To address new and emerging science questions using its advanced instruments,
   surpassing the capabilities of previous and current missions.

Visit the PACE website

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Responsible NASA Official: Sean Bailey
Curator: OceanColor Webmaster