Global Observing Systems Information Center (GOSIC)
The GOSIC Portal serves as a clearinghouse providing convenient, central, one-stop access to Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) data and information through the GCOS Essential Climate Variables (ECV) Data & Information Access Matrix (Link to Data Access)
The GCOS is a long-term, user-driven operational system capable of providing the comprehensive observations required for monitoring the climate system, for detecting and attributing climate change, for assessing the impacts of climate variability and change, and for supporting research toward improved understanding, modelling and prediction of the climate system. The GCOS addresses the total climate system including physical, chemical and biological properties, and atmospheric, oceanic, terrestrial hydrologic, and cryospheric components.
The GCOS builds, to the extent possible, on existing observing, data management and information distribution systems, both operational and research, and on further enhancements of these systems. These include the: WMO Global Observing System (GOS) for atmospheric physical and dynamical properties; WMO Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) for atmospheric constituent and chemical properties; The climate module of the IOC/WMO/ICSU/UNEP Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) for physical, chemical and biological properties; WCRP GEWEX Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) for surface radiation budget measurements; International Geosphere-Biosphere Project (IGBP) and World Climate Research Project (WCRP) research networks, for monitoring of terrestrial ecosystems, clouds and the hydrological cycle, the earth's radiation budget, ice sheets and precipitation over the oceans; Data communication and other infrastructures necessary to support operational climate forecasting, including the World Climate Data and Monitoring Programme (WCDMP) and the Climate Information and Prediction Services (CLIPS)
The GOSIC Portal is hosted at NCEI and supported by NCEI and the U.S. GCOS Program on behalf of the global observing community.
