DOE Data Centers
DOE’s officially designated data centers provide expertise and specialized services to ensure that important data collections are stored appropriately, processed and organized as needed, and made available for reference or reuse. Some of the data centers have both a physical and online presence; others, like the Alternative Fuels Data Center, are online “organizations” only. Most of the major centers maintain “raw,” original data resulting from scientific experiments or scientific monitoring activities. After processing or analysis, many of the centers make their data available through customized databases or usable through special toolkits. Some centers also provide statistics, graphs, or other information based on research data. Most centers provide data freely; some require a password for certain collections.
All of the centers and specialized groups listed on this page are funded by DOE. However, there are other data centers related to the Department that are not highlighted here but are listed under Data Centers Related to DOE in the DOE Data Explorer.
DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA) is not listed here as a center for primary research data. However, it provides excellent, up-to-date pricing, production, and usage data to the public arena. Other organizations such as DOE's National Scientific User Facilities or various computational centers may also maintain scientific data collections.
Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC)
The Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center is a large, online collection of information on alternative fuels and the vehicles that use them. Alternative fuels described here are those defined by the Energy Policy Act of 1992, including biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane. Key features include:
- Online tools, including an alternative fuels station locator and route mapper, various calculators, and a vehicle search tool
- Database of advanced transportation technology information from DOE and other federal agencies, as well as industry data
- A search tool for state and federal incentives and laws
- Access to the EIA's statistics, charts, and tables of U.S. and international data
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Data Centers
ARM is a multi-laboratory, interagency program, and is a key contributor to national and international research efforts related to global climate change. A primary objective is improved scientific understanding of the fundamental physics related to interactions between clouds and radiative feedback processes in the atmosphere. ARM focuses on obtaining continuous field measurements and providing data products that promote the advancement of climate models. Key features include:
- A network of data centers and research facilities
- A large image library
- Hundreds of organized data sets that can be located by collection site, instrumentation used, measurement categories, etc.
- A Google Search Appliance for ARM Web sites and an ARM Publications Database
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC)
CDIAC, which includes the World Data Center for Atmospheric Trace Gases, has served as the primary climate-change data and information analysis center for DOE since 1982. Key features include:
- Highly organized, indexed data sets that can be retrieved with the Mercury search engine
- Online Trends: A Compendium of Data on Global Climate Change
- Data from Ameriflux Network, FACE, GODAP, NARSTO, and other data-rich programs and activities
- A virtual newsletter with up-to-date information on climate trends, new data, coming events, etc.
Comprehensive Epidemiological Data Resource (CEDR)
CEDR is a DOE public-use repository of data from occupational and environmental health studies of workers at DOE facilities and of nearby community residents. In 1990, the Department of Health and Human Services assumed responsibility for many aspects of the epidemiology program and provides data to CEDR. Key features include:
- A search engine for the CEDR Bibliographic Database
- A listing of active epidemiological studies
- Classic radiation studies and data from post WWII
- Many data files, death summary tables, cancer studies, etc.
Controlled Fusion Atomic Data Center (CFADC)
CFADC's mission is to compile, evaluate, recommend, and disseminate atomic and molecular collision data relevant to fusion energy research and development. Under different names, it has been a data center since 1958. Key features include:
- A categorized bibliography of atomic and molecular collision references relevant to fusion energy. Experts regularly search over 100 journals and more than 60,000 individual entries have been accumulated.
- ALADDIN, a database management system accepted by the International Atomic Energy Agency for the exchange of atomic and molecular data and ALADDIN data files.
- Many data sets, the “Redbooks,” conference information, etc.
DOE Joint Genome Institute's (JGI) Genome Web Portal
The JGI makes high-quality genome sequencing data freely available to the greater scientific community through its web portal. Having played a significant role in the federally funded Human Genome Project--generating the complete sequences of Chromosomes 5, 16, and 19--the JGI has now moved on to contributing in other critical areas of genomics research. Key features include:
- Specialized search and visualization tools, such as the Genome Viewer, which displays “tracks” (colored, horizontal rows of sequence data) and allows the users to manipulate them.
- Access to highly detailed Web sites for individual genomes
- Navigation in the “Tree of Life”
National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC)
NNDC collects, evaluates, and disseminates nuclear physics data for basic nuclear research and for applied nuclear technologies. Information available comes from the combined efforts of the NNDC, cooperating data centers, and other U.S. and international groups. Key features include:
- The Nuclear Data Portal, where data can be searched with optimized query forms and results are presented in tables and interactive plots. Tools, codes, and applications are also provided.
- Nine databases of numeric data and two more of bibliographic information
- Nuclear Data Sheets and Nuclear Wallet Cards
- Host of the Atomic Mass Data Center
Renewable Resource Data Center (RReDC)
The RReDC provides information on several types of renewable energy resources in the United States in the form of publications, data, and maps. An extensive dictionary of renewable energy related terms is also provided. Key features include:
- Geothermal Resource Information Clearinghouse, including a database with detailed data from more than 5000 U.S. wells
- Dynamic maps, GIS data, and Geospatial Toolkits
- NREL's Circumsolar Data Base and Spectral Solar Radiation Data Base
U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR)
The DOE-funded USTUR is operated by Washington State University. Its main product is data and information about the intake, deposition, translocation, retention, and dosimetry of the uranium, plutonium, americium, and thorium (actinide elements) in the human body. Information about the health effects of these radioactive elements in the human body is an additional product. Key features include:
- The National Human Radiobiological Tissue Repository, a unique collection of hundreds of tissue samples available for research and education.
- The National Radiobiology Archive
- Bibliographies for all published USTUR research back to 1968
