OPeNDAP/DODS

OPeNDAP/Distributed Oceanographic Data System (DODS)

For more information about OPeNDAP/DODS, see the OPeNDAP Project Page.

PO.DAAC - OPeNDAP/DODS Data

The following PO.DAAC data products are available through OPeNDAP/DODS Hyrax server:

Ocean Vector Winds:

+ QuikSCAT/SeaWinds Level 2B, 1999- (#108) site-info | dir
+ QuikSCAT/SeaWinds Level 3, 1999- (#109) site-info | dir
+ DMSP SSM/I Derived Surface Winds Level 3, 1987-96 (#079) site-info | dir

Sea Surface Temperature:

+ MODIS Level 3, 4km, daily/weekly, 2000- , site-info | dir
+ GHRSST L2P site-info | dir
+ GHRSST L4 site-info | dir
+ AVHRR MCSST Level 3, weekly (1981-2001) (#016) site-info | dir
+ AVHRR Pathfinder V5, 4 km Level 3, 1985-, Daily/8-day/Monthly (#216) site-info | dir
+ AVHRR Pathfinder V4.1 interim, 9/18/54 km Level 3, 1988-90 & 1993-98, Daily/8-day/Monthly,
(#089) site-info|dir
+ GOSTAplus (Atlas 1856-1995, GISST2.2 Ice & SST, LANDSST) (#087) site-info | dir

Ocean Surface Topography:

+ WOCE TOPEX/POSEIDON Level 3, 0.5 & 1 Degree, 1992-2001 site-info | dir

Atmospheric Moisture:

+ NOAA/NASA SSM/I PATHFINDER Level 3, Monthly and 5-day, 1987-88 (#077) site-info | dir

For a list of OPeNDAP/DODS datasets available from other sites, see the OPeNDAP/DODS data page.

Accessing OPeNDAP/DODS Data

From a visualization/analysis package
The most common method of accessing OPeNDAP/DODS data is through a standard visualization/analysis environment. This approach requires that client software be downloaded, installed, and linked on your computer system. The software extends the capabilities of the visualization/analysis language by providing commands to "load" or "open" remote files. The required client software is available from OPeNDAP/DODS (or third parties) for the following tools:

+ Matlab
+ IDL
+ netCDF

+ JGOFS
+ GrADS
+ VisAD

From a dedicated Graphical User Interface (GUI)
A GUI provides direct on-line access to OPeNDAP/DODS data without the need to write a program. These GUIs handle catalog services by listing the available OpemDAP/DODS datasets. The following GUIs can be downloaded and installed on your machine. The Live Access Server also is accessible through a web browser.

+ Live Access Server
+ Matlab GUI (available from OPeNDAP/DODS)

From a web browser or spreadsheet
ASCII data streams can be obtained using a standard web browser without the need to install client software. If desired, the ASCII data stream can be opened directly by a spreadsheet package, such as Excel.

For more information about OPeNDAP/DODS client options, see the OPeNDAP/DODS clients page.

Using OPeNDAP/DODS

Calls to data servers are made using commands of the form: http://servername/filename.extension?subset .

where extension is one of:

.info gives a general description of the data product (Example)
.html gives a web-based form for accessing the data (Example)
.ascii gives an ascii data stream (Example)
.dods gives the binary data stream
.das (data attribute structure) gives the variable names, units, and scale factors (the semantics) (Example)
.dds (data description structure) gives the data structure, dimensions (the syntax) (Example)

and subset is a spatial/temporal/parameter subset.

Send OPeNDAP/DODS questions to: Rob Raskin
JPL section 387, clearance: CL 99-1814, webmaster: Greg Ramos