gov.noaa.nodc:STAR-VIIRS-OCR-L3 eng utf8 series NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact HTTPS NOAA Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information custodian 2026-03-19T14:37:04Z ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) VIIRS Ocean Color Science Quality Mission-long Reprocessed Environmental Data Records (EDR) Level-3 global products from January 2012 to the present minus 15 days 2017-08-07 publication NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information gov.noaa.nodc:STAR-VIIRS-OCR-L3 NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact HTTPS NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information publisher Veronica Lance NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) veronica.lance@noaa.gov https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/ HTTPS NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) website Institution web page information resourceProvider NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/ HTTPS NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) website Institution web page information resourceProvider NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/ HTTPS NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) website Institution web page information originator NOAA STAR Ocean Color Science Team author NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) Ocean Color Science Team coastwatch.info@noaa.gov https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/ HTTPS NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) website Institution web page information pointOfContact NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) https://ospo.noaa.gov/ HTTPS NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) website Institution web page information contributor tableDigital This dataset contains Ocean Color (OC) Science Quality Environmental Data Records (EDR) Level-3 products from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi-National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite. Level-3 EDR data are produced by NOAA CoastWatch/OceanWatch (CW) from Level-2 products. The Level-2 OC EDR are produced by NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) OC team using the Multi-Sensor Level-1 to Level-2 (MSL12) ocean color data processing system. Science quality OC EDR are produced using the significantly improved VIIRS Sensor Data Records (SDR or Level-1B data), which are generated by the OC team (named OC-SDR) using both the solar and lunar approaches, and assimilated ancillary input data (as opposed to model predicted data used in near-real time data production). MSL12 and the OC-SDR calibration improvements were developed by the STAR OC team [Wang et al., 2013; Sun and Wang, 2015; Wang et al., 2016; Wang et al., 2017]. The Science Quality Level-2 VIIRS OC EDR are produced daily on a delayed mode (present day minus 15 days) with global spatial coverage. In addition to this forward stream processing, a consistent, full-mission dataset was generated with the same processing covering the time period from the first post-launch useable data in January 2012 to present day minus 15 days and also with global spatial coverage. The CW Level-3 processing uses MSL12 version 1.2 Level-2 (the swath or granule data) as input to produce global mapped 4 km spatial resolution, daily, weekly and monthly time binned (averaged) output data product files in NetCDF format. These CW Level-3 products include the following parameters: normalized water-leaving radiances for 6 VIIRS visible bands (i.e., bands M1-M5 at 410 nm, 443 nm; 486 nm; 551 nm; 671 nm respectively and band I1 at 638 nm), chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a), the diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm (Kd(490)), and the diffuse attenuation coefficient for photosynthetically available radiation (Kd(PAR)). Note that the MSL12 is the NOAA enterprise processing system for all OC data (from multiple sensors and/or satellite missions) which has replaced the Integrated Data Processing Segment (IDPS) from the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) program for VIIRS data. These Level-3 records are a primary source of information for numerous regional and global marine resource stewardship efforts and are used in applications in support of the NOAA mission and other applications such as fish stock assessments, local habitat characterization, phytoplankton pigment concentration and whale distribution, weather predictions and forecasting, as well as basic physical and biological oceanographic studies of our changing ocean environments. For additional information about OC data, other data formats and a variety of search tools, visit CoastWatch.NOAA.gov. To provide high-quality global ocean color products in support of science research and operational applications. onGoing historicalArchive NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact HTTPS NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information pointOfContact monthly https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/gfx?id=gov.noaa.nodc:STAR-VIIRS-OCR-L3 Preview graphic PNG Attenuation/Transmission CHLOROPHYLL A PHOTOSYNTHETIC ACTIVE RADIATION (PAR) RADIATION - EXTINCTION COEFFICIENT turbidity WATER COLOR WATER-LEAVING RADIANCE theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS VIIRS instrument NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS satellite data theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS SNPP platform NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations dataCentre NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research dataCentre NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS World-Wide Distribution place NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS oceanography theme WMO_CategoryCode 2012-09-15 publication DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/OSPO > Office of Satellite and Product Operations, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/STAR > Center for Satellite Applications and Research, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2026 revision 23 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Greenbelt MD https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords HTTPS GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > CHLOROPHYLL EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN OPTICS > ATTENUATION/TRANSMISSION EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN OPTICS > EXTINCTION COEFFICIENTS EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN OPTICS > OCEAN COLOR EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN OPTICS > PHOTOSYNTHETICALLY ACTIVE RADIATION EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN OPTICS > TURBIDITY EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN OPTICS > WATER-LEAVING RADIANCE theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords 2026 revision 23 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Greenbelt MD https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords HTTPS GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian VIIRS > Visible-Infrared Imager-Radiometer Suite instrument Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords 2026 revision 23 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Greenbelt MD https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords HTTPS GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian Suomi-NPP > Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership platform Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords 2026 revision 23 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Greenbelt MD https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords HTTPS GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian GEOGRAPHIC REGION > GLOBAL OCEAN place Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords 2026 revision 23 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Greenbelt MD https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords HTTPS GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian accessLevel: Public otherRestrictions Cite as: NOAA STAR Ocean Color Science Team (2017). VIIRS Ocean Color Science Quality Mission-long Reprocessed Environmental Data Records (EDR) Level-3 global products from January 2012 to the present minus 15 days. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/STAR-VIIRS-OCR-L3. Accessed [date]. Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives. otherRestrictions Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose. NOAA CoastWatch / OceanWatch Ocean Color - Science Quality - VIIRS SNPP 2017-02-22 publication https://coastwatch.noaa.gov/cw_html/OceanColor_Science_Quality_VIIRS_SNPP.html HTTPS Project web page Project information and documentation information NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/ HTTPS NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) website Institution web page information publisher [accessed 2017-08-08] crossReference project eng; USA utf8 environment oceans -180 180 -80 90 2012-01-02 NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information +1-301-713-3277 ncei.info@noaa.gov pointOfContact In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media. Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions. netCDF netCDF-4 CF-1.6, Unidata Dataset Discovery v1.0 https://data.ngdc.noaa.gov/platforms/earth-observation-satellites/jpss/suomi-npp/viirs/ocean_color_reprocessed/L3/ HTTPS Web browser HTTPS Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download. download ftp://ftp.ngdc.noaa.gov/coastwatch/viirs-ocr/L3/ FTP Any FTP client FTP These data are available through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is no longer supported by most internet browsers. You may copy and paste the FTP link to the data into an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla or WinSCP). download https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/thredds/catalog/coastwatch/viirs-ocr/L3/catalog.html THREDDS Web browsers can browse THREDDS Data Servers and specialized THREDDS software can enable more sophisticated data access and visualizations. THREDDS These data are available through a variety of services via a THREDDS (Thematic Real-time Environmental Distributed Data Services) Data Server (TDS). Depending on the dataset, the TDS can provide WMS, WCS, DAP, HTTP, and other data access and metadata services as well. For more information on the TDS, see http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/thredds/current/tds/. download https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/STAR-VIIRS-OCR-L3 HTTPS Web browser NCEI Dataset Landing Page Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links. information asNeeded Metadata are developed, maintained and distributed by NCEI. Updates are performed as needed to maintain currentness. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information custodian VIIRS VIIRS Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite A scanning radiometer that collects visible and infrared imagery and radiometric measurements of the land, atmosphere, cryosphere, and oceans. Additonal Information: http://www.class.ncdc.noaa.gov/saa/products/search?datatype_family=VIIRS SNPP The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) was renamed to Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) in honor of Verner E. Suomi, University of Wisconsin meteorologist, widely recognized as the "Father of Satellite Meteorology." Suomi NPP is the first next generation polar-orbiting satellite in the JPSS series, and is considered the bridge between NOAA's legacy polar satellite fleet, NASA's Earth observing missions and JPSS constellation. Launched in October 2011, Suomi NPP boasts five state-of-the-art instruments: (1) VIIRS, (2) CrIS, (3) ATMS, (4) OMPS, and (5) CERES FM5— which will be the similar instruments carried on JPSS-1. It has design life of five years and was launched with a Delta-II Mission Launch Vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Additional Information: https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Operations/SNPP/status.html https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/snpp http://www.jpss.noaa.gov/satellites.html#SNPP