Earth Science Data Tools and Web Sites
Many of the data sets available from the DAACs require the use of special
tools for image processing and analysis. These tools were created either within
the data centers or by external software developers and data users. The Data
Tools Web page gives information about the tools and provides links to data tool
Web pages for many of the data centers.
The data centers also provide center-unique tools for functions such as searching and subsettting data. The table below lists and describes some of the data-handling and service tools available from the DAACs.
| Data Center | Data Tool/Service | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Satellite Facility DAAC (ASF DAAC) | SAR Software Tools | The
ASF software tools are designed to make it easier for users to process
ASF data products and translate them into a variety of other formats. A
graphical user interface exists which guides the user through the
process of ingesting, geocoding, and exporting datasets. The tools can ingest most Level 1 ASF products, and produce geocoded (or ungeocoded) GeoTIFF, TIFF, JPEG, or portable pixmap images. The ASF software tools can be downloaded via ftp. The same page also provides access to tutorials on the ASF software tools and the ASF Forum, a place for the user community and ASF staff to interact with each other online about technical topics related to ASF data, ASF software tools, SAR applications and other issues. [+ Visit ASF Software] |
| GSFC Earth Sciences DAAC (GES DAAC) |
Online Analysis Tools | The GES DAAC provides tools for online analysis of various Earth science data products. |
| * Giovanni | The
GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Infrastructure
(Giovanni) is the underlying infrastructure for a growing family of Web
interfaces that allows users to analyze gridded data interactively
online without having to download any data. Through Giovanni, users are
invited to discover and explore our data using sophisticated analyses
and visualizations. The following Giovanni instances are currently
available: Ocean color, Atmospheric, MODIS, and TRMM. [+ More on Giovanni] |
|
| Data Tools | Many tools are available to handle HDF and HDF-EOS data. [+ More on Data Tools] |
|
| * AIRS Online Channel/ Variable Subsetter | The AIRS subsetter provides channel and/or variable subsetting of Level 1B and Level 2 data products. The subset files are staged on an anonymous FTP site and the user is notified to download the output files. | |
| * READ_HDF | This command-line program allows a user to view the contents of an HDF file, as well as subset the data therein. Data can be subset along any dimension, or the entire data can be dumped if no subset options are given. There is also a mode to print a hierarchical tree list of the objects in the file. Data can be sent to an ASCII text file, a set of flat binary files, or displayed on the screen (default). | |
| * HE5Subset | A command line C program for viewing the contents of an HDF-EOS5 file, and subetting the data within. Any of the HDF- EOS5 objects (Grid, Point, Swath, ZA) within a file and their data fields can be listed. Files may be subset by parameter, spatially, and/or temporally, or along any other field or dimension. | |
| WHOM | The Web based
Hierarchical Ordering Mechanism (WHOM) is a search-and-order system
that allows the user to search the GES DAAC data archive in several
ways: (1) Data Pool, which allows the user to search most frequently
requested data sets, (2) Earth science data type, and (3) data set. [+ Visit WHOM]
WHOM has the following functionalities:
|
|
| Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC) |
HyDRO | The
Hydrologic Data Search, Retrieval, and Order (HyDRO) system allows the
user to search data set holdings at GHRC. HyDRO provides a list of GHRC
data sets specific to the user's requirements. Users are able to browse
the online information and tools or services for each data set. They
can download online data sets by FTP or place an order. [+ More on HyDRO] |
| Data Pool | The GHRC Data Pool provides on-line access to half a terabyte of passive microwave data. [+ Visit Data Pool]
|
|
| Coincidence Search Engine | The
Coincidence Search Engine may be used to search for times when up to
four satellites were over or within the same geographic area
simultaneously. Searches may be constrained by time, geographic area,
and/or distance between the satellites. The output consists of a
sequence of text lines listing the date, time, satellite name, and
latitude and longitude. [+ Coincidence Search Engine] |
|
| Coarse Grain Subsetter | With
the use of special internal coverage files, this tool provides a very
quick retrieval of the passes in the user's area of interest. The
subsetter can be used on SSM/I, AMSU-A, and TMI data. It is available
on the GHRC Data Pool and through User Services for SSM/I data that is
not available on the Data Pool. [+ Coarse Grain Subsetter] |
|
| HDF-EOS Subsetter | The
HDF-EOS Subsetting Engine (HSE), a dataset-independent subsetting
service for HDF-EOS data, provides robust, operational subsetting
software, available for use within EOSDIS and by the science community.
HSE supports both HDF-EOS (based on HDF 4) and HDF-EOS 5 (based on HDF
5) data formats. HSE-based products include the HDF-EOS Subsetting
Appliance (HSA) for integration with ECS data order Processing, a
simplified stand-alone subsetting tool called "hewbe", and a subsetting
web service (in work). [+ HDF-EOS Subsetter] |
|
| SPOT | A companion
program to HSE, SPOT can be used to check HDF-EOS files for
subsettability by HSE. SPOT is invoked using a simple command-line
interface. It checks that
|
|
| Algorithm Development and Mining System (ADaM) | (ADaM)
applies data mining technologies to remotely-sensed and other
scientific data. ADaM's mining and image processing toolkits consist of
interoperable components that can be linked together in a variety of
ways for application to diverse problem domains. ADaM has over 75
autonomous components that can be configured to create customized
mining processes to provide pattern recognition, image processing,
optimization, and association rule mining capabilities. Each component
is provided with a C, C++, or other application programming interface
(API), an executable in support of generic scripting tools (e.g. Perl,
Python, shell scripts) and eventually web service interfaces to support
distributed architectures including web and grid applications.
Preprocessing and analysis utilities aid users in applying data mining
to their specific problems. [+ More on ADaM] |
|
| Web Mapping Services | An
OGC-compliant web map service is available on the GHRC Data Pool that
maps AMSU-A, TMI, and SSM/I data based on specific spatial and temporal
request criteria. A web map service returns the image of one specific
data layer that users/applications can then overlay or merge with other
data layers to create composite maps. [+ Web Mapping Services] |
|
| NLDN Subsetter | The
NLDN Subsetter, needs only the latitude and longitude of a geographic
box along with the time period of interest to greatly reduce the volume
of National Lightning Detection Network data. The subsetter will zip
through the entire NLDN dataset for the time period designated, and
repackage the data into daily files which contain only those lightning
events which occur in the user defined box. Note: Distribution of NLDN
data is restricted to Earth Observing System (EOS) and TRMM affiliated
investigators. When contacting the GHRC for the first time with request
for NLDN data, please provide your NASA contract number. [+ NLDN Subsetter] |
|
| NLDN Movie Maker | Animated
movies of lightning events for a user-specifed area from the NLDN
datasets can be custom generated. Note: Distribution of NLDN data is
restricted to Earth Observing System (EOS) and TRMM affiliated
investigators. When contacting the GHRC for the first time with request
for NLDN data, please provide your NASA contract number. [+ NLDN Movie Maker] |
|
| Langley Research Center DAAC (LaRC DAAC) | ASDC Data Pool | The Data Pool at the LaRC Atmospheric Sciences Data Center (ASDC) is an online, short-term data cache that provides Web links and FTP access to selected ASDC science data products. [+ Visit ASDC Data Pool] |
| CERES Subsetting Tool | Allows
subsetting of select CERES data products via the Java version of the
ASDC Ordering Tool. The data can be subset by latitude and longitude,
start and end time, parameter, and criterion. [+ CERES Subsetting Tool] |
|
| hdfscan | A data
browser for files in Hierarchical Data Format (HDF), and HDF Earth
Observing System (EOS) extension (HDF-EOS) formats. It is specifically
written to facilitate access to Terra MISR data products. In
particular, many MISR-unique functions are incorporated into the tool,
such as data scaling, reformatting, unpacking, fill value recognition,
and flag value interpretation. However, because of the standard formats
provided by HDF and HDF-EOS, hdfscan can also serve as a general
purpose tool for use with any other files making use of these formats. [+ More on hdfscan] |
|
| Image Gallery | The
ASDC Imagery Gallery provides access to images and color graphics of
AirMISR, CERES, MISR, NVAP, POAM II, and SSM/I data products. [+ ASDC Imagery Gallery] |
|
| MISR Browse Tool | Allows
easy access to images from the MISR instrument. The browse images are
produced from the ellipsoid product for each camera, reduced to 2.2 km
resolution. The MISR red, green, and blue bands are used to create a
color image, which has been intentionally clipped and gamma-stretched
to make cloud, ocean, and land features visible. The images are JPEG
format. [+ Browse MISR] |
|
| MISR ENVI Tool | Imports
MISR Level 1B2 Ellipsoid and Terrain stacked block data into ENVI,
allows automatic geolocation and correctly interprets band information.
The tool consists of a set of routines written in Research Systems,
Inc. IDL programming language which implement an ENVI User Function for
working with MISR L1B2 data. MISR map projection definitions are
provided for augmenting the ENVI defined map projections file, and a
sample ENVI menu file which adds a menu item to invoke this tool is
also included. [+ MISR ENVI Tool] |
|
| MISR Level 3 Imagery | Visualization
of parameters contained in the MISR Level 3 global data products such
as radiances, aerosol optical depth, surface reflectance, and
vegetation indices are available. The Level 3 products are averages of
select Level 1 and Level 2 parameters over daily, monthly, seasonal and
annual time periods. MISR Level 3 data are available for viewing,
animating, and downloading from the Web. [+ MISR Level 3 Imagery] |
|
| MISR Subsetting and Reformatting Tool | Allows
subsetting and reformatting of MISR data ordered through the EDG. The
data can be subset by latitude and longitude, MISR block number, or
parameter. This tool extracts the specified data and outputs a smaller
file in the same format as the original file. This tool also allows the
data to be reformatted in "Conventional HDF-EOS" grid from the original
stacked block format. [+ MISR Subsetting Tool] |
|
| misr_view | A freely
available IDL-based display and analysis tool, can be used with many
types of MISR and AirMISR data. It was specifically designed for use
with files that use the HDF-EOS "grid" interface. [+ More on misr_view] |
|
| MOPITT Level 2 Viewer | IDL-based tool for creating plots of MOPITT Level 2 data products. [+ MOPITT Level 2 Viewer] |
|
| SAGE II Binary File Subset Tool | This
software subsets SAGE II binary format files. The tool is written in
Research Systems, Inc. IDL programming language. It can be run either
with a licensed version of the IDL package or by using the IDL Virtual
Machine freeware at http://www.rsinc.com/idlvm/. Subsets may be
specified by latitude and longitude regions and/or by parameter. The
selected subset is written to an ASCII output file along with header
information for profiles that match the subset criteria. [+ SAGE II Binary File Subset Tool] |
|
| view_hdf | A freely
available IDL-based display and analysis tool for accessing data stored
in HDF and HDF-EOS format. Variables from either Science Data Sets or
vdata structures in a HDF file, can be subset, rendered as two and
three-dimensional graphics, and plotted as geolocated data onto various
world map projections. Other features include multiple variable plots,
difference plots, and simple statistics. [+ Visit view_hdf] |
|
| Land Processes DAAC (LP DAAC) |
GloVis | The
USGS Global Visualization Viewer (GloVis) allows users to search,
browse, and order ASTER and MODIS data. Users click on a global locator
map to view ASTER or MODIS images for their selected geographic area. [+ More on GloVis] |
| Data Pool | The Data
Pool at the LP DAAC is an online archive that provides FTP access to
select ASTER and MODIS data products. ASTER Data Pool coverage includes
the United States and U.S. Territories. MODIS coverage is global. The
Data Pool HDF-EOS to GeoTiff (HEG) tool provides the ability to
reformat, reproject, or spatially subset data. Several data types are
available at no charge through the Data Pool. [+ Visit LP DAAC Data Pool] |
|
| MODIS LDOPE Tools | The
MODIS Land Data Operational Product Evaluation (LDOPE) software tools
were developed to assist in the quality assessment of MODIS land
products. These tools are invoked as standalone executables from a
command-line interface. The software is supported on Irix, Solaris,
Linux, and Windows operating systems. [+ Visit LDOPE] |
|
| MRT | The MODIS Reprojection Tool (MRT) enables users to read MODIS Level 2G, Level 3, and Level 4 land products in HDF-EOS format. The software supports spatial subsetting and spectral subsetting, performs geographic transformation to a different coordinate system or cartographic projection, and writes the output to file formats other than HDF-EOS (GeoTIFF, raw, binary). The MRT is supported on several platforms including SGI and Sun UNIX, Windows and Linux. [+ Visit MRT] | |
| MRTSwath | The MODIS
Reprojection Tool Swath (MRTSwath) provides the capability to transform
MODIS Level 1B and Level 2 land products from HDF-EOS swath format to a
uniformly gridded image that is geographically referenced. The software
supports spatial subsetting and spectral subsetting, performs
geographic transformations, and writes the output to file formats other
than HDF-EOS (GeoTIFF, raw, binary). The MRTSwath is supported on
several platforms including SGI and Sun UNIX, Windows and Linux. [+ More on MRTSwath] |
|
| MODextract | MODextract
is a software tool available for retrieving MODIS gridded products from
the LP DAAC Data Pool and is executed from the end-user's machine. The
MODextract is supported on IRIX, Solaris and LINUX. [+ More on MODextract] |
|
| National Snow and Ice Data Center DAAC (NSIDC DAAC) | EASE-Grid Geolocation Tools | EASE-Grid tools include IDL routines and map projections for geolocation, and conversion tools to use with EASE-Grid data sets. [+ Visit EASE-Grid] |
| EOS-IT | The HDF-EOS
Imaging Tool (EOS-IT) interface has two modes. One mode opens,
geolocates, and visualizes multiple swath or grid products in separate
but dynamically linked windows. Another mode allows users to examine
individual bits from data fields. (Users must have IDL 5.6 to run
EOS-IT.) [+ Visit EOS-IT] |
|
| GISMO | The Graphical Interface for Subsetting, Mapping, and Ordering (GISMO) Web-based tool can be used to search, subset, and order gridded data from NSIDC. Data may be queried by spatial range, temporal range, and data-specific parameters. [+ Visit GISMO] | |
| IDL Visualizer | The IDL Visualizer reads data from an ICESat/GLAS file making the file viewable as graphical summaries of variables. [+ IDL Visualizer] |
|
| MS2GT | The MODIS
Swath-to-Grid Toolbox (MS2GT) is a set of software tools that read
HDF-EOS files containing MODIS swath data and produce flat binary files
with gridded data in a variety of map projections. MS2GT consists of
three Perl programs that make calls to several standalone IDL and C
programs. Documentation for some products is in development. [+ Visit MS2GT] |
|
| NGAT | The NSIDC GLAS
Altimetry elevation extractor Tool (NGAT) extracts elevation and geoid
data from GLAS altimetry products (GLA06 and GLA12-15) and outputs
latitude, longitude, elevation, and geoid in ASCII columns. [+ IDL Visualizer] |
|
| PSQ | The Polar
Spatial Query (PSQ) tool allows users to search for orbit and scene
data sets by collection, parameter (channel), date, and region of
interest. [+ Visit PSQ] |
|
| Oak Ridge National Laboratory DAAC (ORNL DAAC) |
FIND | The
Federation Interactive Network for Discovery (FIND), based on the
Mercury system, allows a user to locate data and information held by
all members of the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners. [+ Visit FIND] |
| Mercury | Mercury is
a Web-based system for searching and retrieving metadata and associated
data. Data, documentation, and metadata can reside on the individual
data providers' servers. Mercury uses the Internet to form a "virtual
system" interconnecting those servers and its central system. Mercury
keeps the central metadata current by erasing its database and
rebuilding it every night. Mercury supports international metadata
standards and is compatible with Internet search engines. [+ Visit Mercury] |
|
| MODIS ASCII Subsets Available | Users
can select subsets of selected land products from the MODIS (Moderate
Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensor for 277 field sites. These
subsetted products, which are in ASCII format for a 7 x 7 km area
centered on the field sites, are useful for tracking seasonal dynamics
and for validating remote sensing products. Currently, 18 MODIS Land
Products from MODIS sensors onboard the Terra and Aqua platforms are
offered, along with a tool for creating graphs of single composite
periods or time series of the entire period of record. [+ MODIS ASCII Subsets] |
|
| Map Server | Three
Web map servers enable users to select sites for accessing net primary
productivity, FLUXNET, and MODIS ASCII Subset data at the ORNL DAAC.
The map servers help users find site-based data for locations around
the world. Users "Query" the map and select a site or group of sites;
the server provides links to the data sets associated with that site.
Users can view one of seven map layers, zoom in on areas of interest,
and query multiple sites. [+ Visit Map Server] |
|
| Physical Oceanography DAAC (PO.DAAC) | NEREIDS | The
Near-Real-Time Image Distribution Server (NEREIDS) provides sea surface
temperature, ocean surface topography, ocean vector winds, and land and
sea ice satellite browse images within a few hours of capture. Binary
data files are available for some images. Satellite missions include
NOAA AVHRR, TOPEX/POSEIDON, Jason-1, and SeaWinds on QuikSCAT. [+ Visit NEREIDS] |
| Data Set Browse Image Tools | A
Web-based calendar interface browse image tool may be used with the
following PO.DAAC data sets to select and display browse images in GIF
format: [+ Data Set Browse Image Tools]
|
|
| POET | Data
subsetting and visualization for many PO.DAAC products are available
from the PO.DAAC Ocean ESIP Tool (POET) web-based interface. Output is
returned as a latitude-longitude map, animation, time-series graph, or
space-time profile. Output formats include: image (GIF, PNG, JPEG),
scientific (HDF, netCDF), GIS (GeoTIFF, ArcGrid), binary (UNIX/Mac or
PC), and ASCII. POET data also can be accessed by any Web Map server
(WMS) viewer. This feature enables you to combine or overlay POET data
with data from any other source that complies with this standard. POET was developed by the Ocean ESIP (Earth Science Information Partner). [+ Visit POET] |
|
| Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) | ENTRI | The Environmental Treaties and Resource Indicators (ENTRI) is an online query of a relational database. [+ Visit ENTRI] |