MERRA-NOBM (NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model) Reanalysis

Ocean Biology and Biogeochemical Modeling Data Description

(1) Phytogroups: the database of published phytoplankton group relative abundance. This database was build in order to validate the NOBM (e.g., Gregg and Casey, 2007).

 

(2) Ocean Atmosphere Spectral Irradiance Model (OASIM): Radiative transfer calculations provide the underwater irradiance fields necessary to drive the growth of the various phytoplankton groups, and interact with the heat budget. The Ocean Atmosphere Spectral Irradiance Model contains a treatment of the spectral and directional properties of radiative transfer in the oceans, and explicitly accounts for clouds. The atmospheric radiative model covers the spectral regions 200 nm to 4 μm, and is fully described in Gregg and Casey (2009) and Gregg (2002).

(3) Atmospheric optical data for OASIM: The different columns are: (1, First column) is lambda (wavelength, nm), (2) Extraterrestrial irradiance (W m-2), (3) Rayleigh optical thickness (dimensionless), (4) Ozone absorption coefficient (cm-1), (5) Water vapor absorption coefficient (cm-1), (6) Oxygen absorption coefficient (cm-1), and (7) Carbon dioxide absorption coefficient (cm-1).

There are two output products from the atmospheric portion of OASIM available to the public on this website. Each spans the time period 1998-2015, and each is global at one-degree spatial resolution.

(a) Monthly mean spectral downwelling irradiance in 33 increments, containing direct and diffuse components, not diurnally-resolved. Units: W m-1 (variable) nm-1.

(b) Monthly mean Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR). Units mol photons m-2 d-1

(4) Hyperspectral water leaving radiances : 1nm water leaving radiances as described and used in Gregg and Rousseaux 2017.

(5) Absorption and scattering properties used in OASIM : IOP properties used as input for the OASIM. See Gregg and Rousseaux 2017 for more details.

a) Absorption and scattering properties for phytoplankton.

b) Absorption and scattering properties for water.

c) Backscattering properties for Particulate Inorganic Carbon.