Science System Description

The Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) uses a distributed architecture which permits allocation of EOSDIS elements to various locations to take best advantage of each location's different institutional capabilities and science expertise. 

The EOSDIS system support team provides assistance in supporting the software development cycle with the various components throughout EOSDIS. Specific information regarding the environments is available to integrators during the integration process. 

See the Earth Data Integration Reference Guide Version 1.0 for more information.

Major Components of EOSDIS:

EOSDIS Data Centers/Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs)

The EOSDIS Data Centers, also referred to as Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs), are custodians of EOS mission data and ensure that data will be easily accessible to users. Acting in concert, the data centers provide reliable, robust services to users whose needs may cross the traditional boundaries of specific science disciplines, while continuing to support the particular needs of users within the discipline communities. Data center holdings can be searched from the Reverb search and order client powered by ECHO.

EOS Clearing House (ECHO)

The EOS Clearing House (ECHO) is a spatial and temporal metadata registry and order broker. It allows users to more efficiently search and access data and services through the Reverb Client or Application Programmer Interfaces (APIs). ECHO stores metadata from a variety of science disciplines and domains.

ESDIS Metrics System (EMS)

EOSDIS Metrics System (EMS) collects information from all ingest, archive and distribution interfaces throughout EOSDIS. In addition to data system metrics, EMS has a suite of web analytics tools available to characterize usage and usability of websites.

Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS)

The Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) deliver global, full-resolution satellite imagery in a highly responsive manner. The system is currently a prototype containing about 50 near real time products (within three hours of observation), but is being transitioned to a core capability that will contain science imagery over the coming year. GIBS uses standard web services interfaces for accessing data. GIBS currently has two demonstration clients, Worldview and SOTO, which show the capabilities, along with an API. 

Land Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE)

LANCE provides access to near real-time products from the MODIS, OMI, AIRS, and MLS instruments in less than 3 hours from observation. The data support applications users who are interested in monitoring and analyzing a wide variety of natural and man-made phenomena. LANCE freely provides access to 96 data products through FTP servers (registration required) and imagery from 40 products.

Networks

Effective access to EOSDIS depends on the end-to-end network connectivity between users and geographically distributed EOSDIS data centers. This connectivity is provided by an EOSDIS internal logical network known as the EOS Mission Support network (EMSn) and an external logical network known as the EOS Science Support network (ESSn).

Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS)

Most of the EOS standard products are produced at facilities under the direct control of the instrument Principal Investigators/Team Leaders (PIs/TLs) or their designees at Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS). Products produced at the SIPS using investigator-provided systems and software are sent to appropriate data centers for archival and distribution.

User Registration System (URS)

The EOSDIS User Registration System (URS) is a centralized user registration and authentication system that provides a single username and password for many EOSDIS resources. Capabilities are provided through Earthdata website and by APIs to approved projects. It is currently operationally in use by earthdata.nasa.gov, Reverb, Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Doc Builder Tool and the Land and Atmosphere Near-real time Capability for EOS (LANCE). Additional components of EOSDIS are actively developing connections to the URS API, which will be deployed in the coming months.

Web Infrastructure (WI)

The earthdata.nasa.gov website connects the distributed EOSDIS systems together. It is built using Drupal 7.The Drupal framework allows for project collaboration and communal development of website tools and content. Additional capabilities of the site include the Earthdata Code Collaborative (ECC), Earthdata Collaboration Environment (ECE), User Support Tool (UST), User Registration System (URS) and Issue and Project tracking with Jira.