Federation Of Earth Science Information Partners
Earth observation information from satellites and ground-based collection sites has the potential for providing scientifically valid answers to many of the world’s most pressing environmental problems. However, the data sets tend to be very large, poorly cataloged, widely distributed and difficult to access.
The Federation of Earth Science Information Partners is a unique consortium of more than 90 organizations that collect, interpret and develop applications for remotely sensed Earth observation information. Included in the ESIP network are NASA, NOAA and USGS data centers, research universities, government research laboratories, supercomputing facilities, education resource providers, information technology innovators, nonprofit organizations and commercial enterprises.
With our Strategic Partners the National Aeronautical and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federation and its operations arm, the Foundation for Earth Science, are working to make observation information relating to a broad spectrum of Earth science issues more available and understandable to researchers, educators, policy makers and the general public. By so doing, the Federation hopes to contribute significantly to the creation of a healthy and sustainable planet.
Featured ESIP Partner - NSIDC
The National Snow and Ice Data Center offers some of their data in the form of images and maps.
NSIDC created Google Earth files that enable you to overlay data - based images on a virtual globe. Their goal is to help people better understand the cryosphere - where the world is frozen - by making their data more visible and interactive. You can use Google Earth to view snow, ice, glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice on the globe.
The NSIDC "Atlas of the Cryosphere" Web site allows visitors to explore and dynamically map the Earth's frozen regions. Viewed from a polar perspective, the available scenes include snow cover, sea ice extent and concentration, glaciers,permafrost, and other critical components of the Earth's cryosphere.
View NSIDC Data on Virtual Globes: Google Earth or through the MapServer application Atlas of the Cyosphere.
Earth Information Exchange
The ESIP Federation is building an interface where earth science data, products and tools will be made available. The interface, the Earth Information Exchange, will be a portal that provides access to the vast information holdings of our member organizations through one web-based location and provides a robust marketplace in which the products and services needed to use and understand this information can be readily acquired. Since the Federation’s membership includes the federal government’s Earth observing data centers, we believe that the impact of the Exchange on Earth science research and education and environmental policy making will be profound.
In the Earth Information Exchange, we will present Earth observation data, products and services by the Societal Benefits categories identified by the international working group developing the Global Earth Observation Systems of Systems. These issue areas are a useful way to think about environmental problems and organize the supporting data and information. We ensure the quality of the information in each of the Exchange’s issue areas by maintaining working groups (called Clusters) of issue area researchers and practitioners who serve as stewards for their respective communities. The Exchange will be linked to USGS’s Geospatial One Stop portal, NASA’s Earth Science Gateway, the Global Change Master Directory, and the EOS Clearinghouse, integrating much of the available data and information and making it available through one access point.
Click on the issue area of interest below to find out what is available through the Earth Information Exchange.
- Ecological Forecasting
- The theme of the Ecological Forecasting Cluster is to help preserve ecosystems by giving policy makers, resource managers and regulators comprehensive information based on sound science. The Federation is in a unique position to do this…
- Water Management
- The Water Management Cluster is concerned about inland water supplies and their continued availability and quality. Existing water management activities…
- Coastal Management
- The Coastal Management cluster is comprised of a broad cross-section of government, industry, and academia with vested interest in coastal processes. The clusters have identified four joint focus areas…
- Disaster Management
- The Disaster Management Cluster and its members provide and promote earth information products and services supporting development of effective policies, institutions and practices within the disaster management and risk reduction communities.
- Air Quality
- The overarching objective of the ESIP Air Quality Cluster is to connect air quality data consumers with the providers of those data. The AQ Cluster aims to…
- Public Health
- The Public Health Cluster will begin meeting in January 2007. At that time, community issues will be identified and the opportunities to interface with other Clusters will be explored.
