Abstract:
This data set consists of satellite measurements of global ocean color,
photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) and Land Reflectance (LND) data
obtained by the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), in orbit on
the OrbView-2 (formerly SeaStar) platform. SeaWiFS ocean color products are
processed and distributed by the Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG).
Processing details
... can be found at
http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/DOCS/SW_proc.html
SeaWiFS acquires approximately 15 pole-to-pole orbital swaths of data per day,
and approximately 90% of the ocean surface is scanned every two days. Visible
and near infrared raw radiance counts are collected (Level 1A data) and are
converted to geophysical parameters (Level 2 data). Level 3 (9 km) data
processing involves both temporal and spatial binning and utilizes Level 2
Global Area Coverage (GAC) (4 km) data as input.
Each SeaWiFS Level-3 binned (9 km) data product consists of the accumulated
data for all Level-2 products, for the specified instrument and resolution,
corresponding to a period of one day, 8 days, a calendar month, a calendar
year, or the cumulative mission. Each Level-3 binned data product is stored in
one or more HDF files. The data are stored in a representation of a global,
equal-area grid whose grid cells, or "bins," have a resolution of 9.2x9.2km
(approximately 81 km2).
Each given time binning period (Daily, 8-Day, Monthly, Monthly Climatology,
Seasonal, Seasonal Climatology, Annual, Cumulative) has a separate file for
each product. These files include a main file containing all product-level
metadata, and data for each bin filled for that product and time period. In
addition, each product includes subordinate files, each of which contains data
of one binned geophysical parameter for all bins. Subordinate files must be
read in conjunction with the associated main file. The ocean color parameters
are the normalized water-leaving radiances (radiance data corrected for
atmospheric light scattering and sun angles differing from nadir), and
geophysical parameters derived from the radiance data.
SeaWiFS ocean color binned products consist of:
-Normalized water-leaving radiance at 412 nm [file x00 = nLw_412_sum]
-Normalized water-leaving radiance at 443 nm [file x01 = nLw_443_sum]
-Normalized water-leaving radiance at 490 nm [file x02 = nLw_490_sum]
-Normalized water-leaving radiance at 510 nm [file x03 = nLw_510_sum]
-Normalized water-leaving radiance at 555 nm [file x04 = nLw_555_sum]
-Normalized water-leaving radiance at 670 nm [file x05 = nLw_670_sum]
-Angstrom coefficient, 510-865 nm [file x06 = angstrom_510_sum]
-Chlorophyll-a concentration [file x07 = chlor_a_sum]
-Diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm [file x08 = K_490_sum]
-Epsilon of aerosol correction at 765 and 865 nm [file x09 = eps_78_sum]
-Aerosol optical thickness at 865 nm [file x10 = tau_865_sum]
Other SeaWiFS Level 3 Binned Products:
-SeaWiFS Level 3 PAR refers to false-colored images of Photosynthetically
Active Radiation (PAR) from the sun 400-700 nm.
For additional information about the PAR algorithm see
http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/DOCS/seawifs_par_wfigs.pdf
-SeaWiFS Land Reflectance (LND) refers to the images that depict land areas of
the world in quasi-natural-color
More detailed information on the Level-3 binned data product format
specifications can be found in the document at
http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/DOCS/Ocean_Level-3_Binned_Data_Prod...
The SeaWiFS Level 3 Binned data files are available from the FTP site at
ftp://oceans.gsfc.nasa.gov/SeaWiFS/Binned/ 
