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GSFC Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC)

The NASA GES DISC provides data, services, and information that enable science, education, and application research users to better understand global climate change. We provide global, long-term data records of:

  • atmospheric composition,
  • atmospheric dynamics,
  • hydrology, and
  • air quality.

Measurements include:

  • aerosols,
  • clouds,
  • atmospheric trace gases,
  • solar irradiance,
  • atmospheric radiation, and
  • atmospheric dynamic and precipitation parameters.

The GES DISC also has extensive Mission Support experience with a proven record in:

  • designing,
  • developing,
  • fielding, and
  • operating

Both large- and small-scale data systems including archive and distribution, science data processing, online data visualization, multiple data search methodologies, and user support.

New missions and projects are supported with ready-to-deploy, scalable software components that can be readily adapted for each application and ready to interface with any other internal or external component or entity.

The GES DISC Website is organized into measurement-, mission-, and project-based portals that are tailored to the unique needs of the science communities they serve. These portals provide users with one-stop access to the data, services, and information that are most relevant to them. We are actively engaged with our science communities and the general public to improve our services and we welcome feedback.

This image, acquired on April 1, 2003, displays AIRS standard retrieval of surface skin temperature.Caption: This image, acquired on April 1, 2003, displays AIRS standard retrieval of surface skin temperature. Depending on the winds and humidity at the air-sea interface, and cloud cover, the skin temperature can deviate substantially from the bulk temperature of the water. The sea surface temperatures are of ultimate importance to monitor and predict climate variability on the planet. This goal mandates unprecedented accuracy of the retrieval.

Available Data

  • Aura OMI
    • (Resolution: 13 by 24 km at nadir | Availability: August 2004 to present | Coverage: Global)
    • The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) aboard Aura is a hyperspectral instrument that measures solar backscattered ultraviolet and visible radiation in 1467 bands between 264 and 504 nm. OMI continues the long-term record made by TOMS. OMI data products are generated for total column amounts of ozone, NO2, SO2, HCHO, BrO, and OClO, aerosol and cloud properties, UV-B flux, and ozone profiles.
  • Aura MLS
    • (Resolution: 300 km along track, 5 km cross track, 3 km vertical | Availability: August 2004 to present | Coverage: Global)
    • The Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) aboard Aura measures microwave emissions (at 118 GHz, 190 GHz, 240 GHz, 640 GHz, and 2.5 THz) of the Earth limb. The instrument provides continuity with UARS. MLS data products include vertical profiles of ozone, water vapor, BrO, ClO, CO, OH, HO2, HCN, HNO3, N2O, HCl, HOCl, SO2, cirrus ice, geopotential height, and temperature.
  • Aura HIRDLS
    • (Resolution: … | Availability: January 2005 to present | Coverage: Near global (-64 deg to +80 deg)
    • The High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) aboard Aura measures infrared emissions in 21 channels ranging from 6.12 to 17.76 mm. These measurements allow HIRDLS to derive vertical profiles of ozone, water vapor, methane, N2O, NO2, HNO3, N2O5, CFC11, CFC12, aerosols, and atmospheric temperature as well as the locations of polar stratospheric clouds and cloud tops.
  • Aqua AIRS/AMSU-A/HSB
    • (Resolution: AIRS IR at 13.5 km, 1 km vertical; AIRS VIS/NIR at 2.3 km at nadir; AMSU-A at 40.5 km at nadir; HSB at 13.5 km at nadir | Availability: AIRS and AMSU-A, September 1, 2002, to present; HSB, September 1, 2002, to January 31, 2003 | Coverage: Global, twice daily swath (daytime and nighttime))
    • The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) aboard Aqua is a high-spectral-resolution spectrometer with 2378 bands in the thermal infrared (IR) and 4 bands in the visible and near infrared (VIS/NIR). AIRS and its two sounder partners -- the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit A (AMSU-A) and the Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB) -- form the AIRS Sounding System. Since reaching polar orbit in May 2002, this system has been providing accurate measurements of air temperature, humidity, clouds, and surface temperature. The GES DISC distributes Level 1B and Level 2 radiometric, geolocation, and higher level products.
  • Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)
    • (Resolution: VIRS at 2.2 km; TMI at 5.0 km; PR at 4.0 km; Level 3 precipitation at 1 by 1 deg and 5 by 5 deg | Availability: December 1997 to present | Coverage: 40° N to 40° S global)
    • TRMM is a joint endeavor between NASA and Japan’s National Space Development Agency. It is designed to monitor and study tropical rainfall and the associated release of energy that helps to power the global atmospheric circulation, shaping both global weather and climate. TRMM products contain visible/ infrared scanner (VIRS), TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI), and Precipitation Radar (PR) observations of tropical and subtropical rain systems and spatially and temporally re-sampled precipitation data.
  • Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS)
    • (Resolution: 1 by 1 deg for all models; 0.25 by 0.25 deg for the NOAH model | Availability: 1979 to present for all models; 2000 to present for the high resolution NOAH model | Coverage: Global)
    • The GLDAS Data Products consist of time series of land surface state (e.g., soil moisture and surface temperature) and flux (e.g., evaporation and sensible heat flux) parameters, simulated by four land surface models: Common Land Model (CLM), Model-Oriented Software Automatic Interface Converter (MOSAIC), Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC), and NCEP Oregon State University Air Force Hydrologic Research Lab (NOAH).
  • Atmospheric Model Datasets
    • Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) coming soon
      • (Resolution: 1.25 by 1.25 deg; 72 vertical levels; hourly through multi decadal | Availability: 1979 to present | Coverage: Global)
      • Atmospheric, land and ocean observations from satellites, aircrafts, ships, and other sources are grouped, modeled or assimilated into various time scales varying from hourly to multi decadal and processed for visualization and analysis for user community.
    • Georgia Tech/Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation Transport (GOCART) model data
      • (Resolution: 2 by 2.5 deg; daily and monthly | Availability: | Coverage: Global)
      • Global scale model driven by the assimilated meteorological fields of Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS). Products include aerosol optical thickness, concentration, and dry mass column for total aerosol or for individual aerosol components of sulfate, dust, black carbon, organic carbon, and sea-salt.
  • Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)
    • (Resolution: Full solar disk data at different spectral resolutions | Availability: January 2003 to present | Coverage: Full solar disk)
    • SORCE carries four instruments: the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM), the Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment (SOLSTICE), the Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM), and the Extreme Ultraviolet Photometer System (XPS). SORCE data contain measurements of the incoming x-ray, UV, visible, near-infrared, and total solar radiation.
  • Field Campaign Datasets
    • TRMM campaigns: Texas Florida Underflights in April and August 1998 (TEFLUN-A, TEFLUN-B), South China Sea Monsoon Experiment (SCSMEX), Convection And Moisture Experiment (CAMEX), Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA), Kwajalein Experiment (KWAJEX), Keys Area Precipitation Project (KAPP)
    • Southern Great Plains (SGP) experiments: SGP97 and SGP99
    • Tropical Ocean Global Atmospheres/Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE) campaigns: aircraft data; assimilation and model subsets; ship data from radars, satellite data subsets, and surface radiation data.
    • MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS), numerous campaigns between 1995 and 2007.
  • Heritage Datasets (partial list)
    • Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS)
      • (Resolution: Most atmospheric products at a 4-deg interval along track; solar spectral data at 1 nm | Availability: September 1991 to present | Coverage: Near global (80° N to 80° S))
      • The GES DISC archives upper atmospheric data from nine UARS instruments (CLAES, HALOE, HRDI, ISAMS, MLS, PEM, SOLSTICE, SUSIM, and WINDII) and UARS correlative data. Data contain profiles of upper atmospheric chemical constituents, winds, solar irradiance, and energetic particle input. Products are available as time- and latitude-ordered data sets.
    • Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS)
      • (Resolution: 1 by 1.25 deg | Availability: Nimbus-7, November 1978 to May 1993; Meteor-3, August 1991 to December 1994; ADEOS, September 1996 to June 1997; EP, July 1996 to present | Coverage: Global)
      • TOMS data contain global column ozone amounts and UV reflectivity, and are available from the Nimbus-7 and Meteor-3 satellites and the Advanced Earth Observing System (ADEOS) and Earth Probe (EP) missions.
    • Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS)
      • (Resolution: About 1.6 deg near equator; vertical about 0.88 km with 109 pressure levels| Availability: Oct 25, 1978 to May 28, 1979 | Coverage:)
      • LIMS measured vertical profiles of temperature, geopotential height, and mixing ratios of ozone, NO2, H2O, and HNO3. The LIMS instrument was launched on the Nimbus-7 satellite.

Available Services

  • Online Visualization and Data Analysis with Giovanni
    • The Goddard Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni) is a Web-based application developed at the GES DISC. Giovanni provides a simple and easy way to visualize, analyze, and access vast amounts of Earth science data.
    • Only a Web browser is needed.
    • Allows users to explore and inter-compare many geophysical data parameters.
    • Many visualizations available: maps, time series, correlation plots, scatter plots, Hövmoller diagrams, vertical profiles (including along-orbit), and many more.
    • Data lineage is provided so that users know exactly how images were generated.
    • Images and data can be downloaded in several formats (including intermediate data results).
  • OPeNDAP/GrADS Data Server
    • Most gridded data are available via the Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (OPeNDAP). Others will be coming soon.
    • The GrADS Data Server provides subsetting and analysis services for our GLDAS model dataset.
  • OGC WMS/WCS
    • A growing number of datasets are available via the Open Geospatial Consortium’s Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Coverage Service (WCS).
  • Google Earth Support
    • The GES DISC is embarking on making our datasets available in KML format to support Google Earth users, including from Giovanni.
  • Data Mining
    • The GES DISC supports power users through data mining. Through our data mining service, a registered user can upload algorithms and mine for data, all via a Web browser. Data mining output is made available via FTP. A quick tour is available on the Website.

Data Access

  • Quick, online, data search and download with Mirador
    • Mirador is a drastically simplified Web tool using Google technology for keyword searches of data archived at the GES DISC. Mirador is very quick, has a hit estimator, Gazetteer (geographical dictionary), and an interactive shopping cart. Users can limit searches by event (hurricanes, dust storms, etc.) as well as by geographic region and time.
  • Warehouse Inventory Search Tool (WIST)
    • Search and order tool for datasets that include other NASA data centers in addition to the GES DISC.

For assistance or additional information, contact:

GES DISC User Services
Goddard Space Flight Center
Phone: +1 301-614-5224
Fax: +1 301-614-5268
E-mail: help-disc@listserv.gsfc.nasa.gov

Multi-Mission Data Projects

  • NEESPI
    • The Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) is an international research program investigating the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems in Northern Eurasia and their interactions with the Earth's climate system. The NEESPI portal supports this effort with relevant data, information, and data visualization and analysis using Giovanni.
  • A-Train Data Depot
    • The A-Train Data Depot is devoted to datasets generated by Earth observing satellites flying in a formation known as the A-Train. Services include providing subsets of atmospheric parameters (temperature, humidity, cloud, aerosol, etc.), and visualization and analysis using Giovanni.
  • Hurricanes
    • The GES DISC Hurricane Portal is designed for viewing and studying hurricanes in the north Atlantic utilizing precipitation data from TRMM, ocean surface wind data from QuikSCAT, and sea surface temperature from TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI). The portal provides a Flash-based, interactive animator to view hurricane tracks and development.
  • Ocean Color Time Series Project
    • This project created a uniform time-series, from 1978 to the present, by combining datasets from several ocean color sensing instruments: Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS), Ocean Color and Temperature Sensor (OCTS), Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard Aqua. Services include data access and visualization and analysis capabilities using Giovanni.
  • Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) Decision Support System (DSS)
    • This project focuses on improving the evapotranspiration input to the U.S National Weather Service (NWS) AWIPS Ohio River Forecast System. It uses an innovative spatial data assimilation framework together with NASA satellite surface soil moisture data. The project’s goal is to improve weather forecasting for disaster management such as floods and droughts.