ORNL DAAC Data Center Document

Summary:

This document describes the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC), which is a part of NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Project.

Table of Contents:

• 1. Data Center Overview
• 2. Detailed Description
• 3. Data Center Contact
• 4. References
• 5. Glossary of Terms
• 6. List of Acronyms
• 7. Document Information

1. Data Center Overview:

Data Center Long Name, Data Center Acronym:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center, ORNL DAAC.

Data Center Introduction:

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) provides information about the Earth's biogeochemical dynamics to the global change research community, policy makers, educators, and the general interested public.

2. Detailed Description:

The ORNL DAAC is one of eight DAACs within NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Data and Information System (EOSDIS). EOS and EOSDIS form the centerpiece of NASA's contribution to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, an interagency effort of the U.S. Government to develop a predictive understanding of the Global environment. The ORNL DAAC supports the NASA's Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) and EOS by providing data and information about the dynamics between the biological, geological, and chemical components of the Earth's environment. These biogeochemical dynamics are influenced by interactions between organisms and their physical surroundings, including soils, sediments, water, and air.

Sources of data held by the DAAC include NASA funded field campaigns (such as BOREAS, LBA, and SAFARI 2000) selected relevant measurements from EOS satellites, as well as other biogeochemical dynamics data useful to the global change research community.  In addition, the ORNL DAAC acquires, archives, and distributes data related to biogeochemical cycling that facilitates interpretation, processing, and validation of EOS remote-sensing measurements and data products. The DAAC supports EOS validation by providing data from FLUXNET and Land Validation field activities.

The DAAC also archives and distributes Regional and Global Data for developing and improving process-based models of biogeochemical dynamics, for verifying classifications based on remotely sensed information, and for validating ecosystem model outputs. Integration of these data is important to understand and predict how Earth systems function. By linking data about climate, atmospheric trace gases, and biological processes, we can better understand how global changes may impact ecosystems.

3. Data Center Contact:

Contact Name:

ORNL DAAC User Services Office

Telephone Number:

865-241-3952

Electronic Mail Address:

ornldaac

4. References:

Not applicable.

5. Glossary of Terms:

A general EOSDIS glossary is available.

6. List of Acronyms:

A general EOSDIS list of acronyms is available.

7. Document Information:

Document Revision Date:

October 10, 2007

Document Review Date:

November 21, 2001

Document Curator:

webmaster

Document URL:

http://daac.ornl.gov//ornl_datacenter_document.html