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Version-3b TMI Ocean Products, in November 1997, the TMI radiometer with a 10.7 GHz channel was launched aboard the TRMM satellite.The important feature of microwave retrievals is that SST can be measured through clouds, which are nearly transparent at 10.7 GHz. This is a distinct advantage over the traditional infrared SST observations that require a cloud-free field of view. Ocean areas with persistent cloud coverage can now be viewed on a daily basis. Furthermore, microwave retrievals are not affected by aerosols and are insensitive to atmospheric water vapor. However, the microwave retrievals are sensitive to sea-surface roughness, while the infrared retrievals are not. A primary function of the TRMM SST retrieval algorithm is the removal of surface roughness effects. The microwave and infrared SST retrievals are very complementary and can be combined to obtain a reliable global data set. The algorithm for retrieving SSTs from radiometer data is described in "AMSR Ocean Algorithm"

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MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. Terra's orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths (see MODIS Technical Specifications). These data will improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of validated, global, interactive Earth system models able to predict global change accurately enough to assist policy makers in making sound decisions concerning the protection of our environment.

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NOAA's TIROS (Television Infrared Observation Satellite) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) is a suite of three sensors: the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU), the High resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS), and the Stratospheric Sounding Unit (SSU) aboard the NOAA series of polar-orbiting operational meteorological satellites. TOVS-derived data provide a means to investigate long-term climate change and interannual variability and study local and periodic phenomena such as El Nino and stratospheric warmings. A set of the derived meteorological parameters for southern Africa have been selected by SAFARI 2000.

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REDACTED-EX B6

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This data set contains measurements of the concentration and stable carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N) isotope ratios of plant (leaves, roots and fungi) and soil samples from southern Africa. The study sites in Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa are located along the Kalahari Transect precipitation gradient. Some of the sites were relatively undisturbed while others had different intensities of cultivation, domestic grazing, and fires. The data were collected to detect patterns of N cycling along precipitation and grazing gradients, including N2 fixation by legumes. Data from different multiple projects are included. The plants and soils were sampled mainly in the wet season of years 1995, 1999, and 2000, with most of the data collected during the SAFARI 2000 Kalahari Wet Season Field Campaign in February and March of 2000. Some grass samples were collected in the dry season of year 2000 (from Mongu-dambo and Sua Pan grassland sites). Soil and plant samples were analyzed in a laboratory for %C, %N, d13C, and d15N with an Optima isotope ratio mass spectrometer coupled to an elemental analyzer. The stable isotope ratios are expressed using standard delta notation in units per mil. The isotope ratios are expressed relative to the international standard PDB (Pee Dee Belemnite) for carbon and atmospheric N2 for nitrogen samples. The carbon and nitrogen contents are expressed in percentage weight of the dry sample.The data files contain numerical and character fields of varying length separated by commas (.csv format).

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Environment Canada (EC) collected ceilometer data during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) in Huronia, Canada from January 15, 2012 through March 1, 2012. The CT25K ceilometer uses pulsed diode laser LIDAR technology to derive backscatter profiles, cloud heights and vertical visibilities. It is also able to detect 3 cloud layers simultaneously.

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ML2DGG is the EOS Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) product containing geophysical diagnostic quantities pertaining directly to the standard geophysical data products, generally on a similar (or identical) grid, and at different spectral ranges. The current version is 3.3/3.4. Data coverage is complete from August 8, 2004 to current. Spatial coverage is near-global (-82 deg. to +82 deg. latitude), with each profile spaced 1.5 deg. or ~165 km along the orbit track (roughly 15 orbits per day). Vertical resolution varies between species and typically ranges from 3 - 6 km. Users of the ML2DGG data product should read the EOS MLS Level 2 Version 3.3 and 3.4 Quality Document for more information (http://mls.jpl.nasa.gov/data/v3_data_quality_document.pdf). Users are encouraged to register with the MLS science team at https://mls.jpl.nasa.gov/forms/reguser.php to obtain updates and information about this data product. The data are stored in the version 5 EOS Hierarchical Data Format (HDF-EOS5), which is based on the version 5 Hierarchical Data Format, or HDF5. Each file contain swaths objects for each diagnostics measurement. Each swath has a set of data and geolocation fields, swath attributes, and metadata. The data fields include the geophysical parameter values and precision (standard deviation), convergence values, data quality, and a status flag. The geolocation fields include a time stamp in TAI-93 format (seconds since January 1, 1993), geodetic latitude and longitude, and pressure level values, as well as local solar time, solar zenith angle, line of sight angle, and orbit geodetic angle. There is one file per day.

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MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. Terra's orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths (see MODIS Technical Specifications). These data will improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of validated, global, interactive Earth system models able to predict global change accurately enough to assist policy makers in making sound decisions concerning the protection of our environment.

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Hydrographic and Impairment Statistics (HIS) is a National Park Service (NPS) Water Resources Division (WRD) project established to track certain goals created in response to the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). One water resources management goal established by the Department of the Interior under GRPA requires NPS to track the percent of its managed surface waters that are meeting Clean Water Act (CWA) water quality standards. This goal requires an accurate inventory that spatially quantifies the surface water hydrography that each bureau manages and a procedure to determine and track which waterbodies are or are not meeting water quality standards as outlined by Section 303(d) of the CWA. This project helps meet this DOI GRPA goal by inventorying and monitoring in a geographic information system for the NPS: (1) CWA 303(d) quality impaired waters and causes; (2) hydrographic statistics based on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Hydrography Dataset (NHD); and (3) special designations recognizing waters of exceptional quality as defined in State water quality standards. Hydrographic and 303(d) impairment statistics were evaluated based on a combination of 1:24,000 (NHD) and finer scale data (frequently provided by state GIS layers). Information on State-designated uses and waters of exceptional quality are only available for a limited number of parks at this time.

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This data set contains a series of land surface parameters simulated from the Mosaic land-surface model (LSM) for Phase 2 of the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2). The data are in 1/8th degree grid spacing and range from Jan 1979 to the present. The temporal resolution is monthly. The file format is WMO GRIB-1. The NLDAS-2 monthly Mosaic model data were generated from the NLDAS-2 hourly Mosaic model data, as monthly accumulation for rainfall, snowfall, subsurface runoff, surface runoff, total evapotranspiration, and snow melt, and monthly average for other variables. Monthly period of each month is from 00Z at start of the month to 23:59Z at end of the month, except the first month (Jan. 1979) that starts from 00Z 02 Jan 1979. Brief description about the NLDAS-2 monthly Mosaic model can be found from the GCMD DIF for NLDAS-2 hourly Mosaic data GES_DISC_NLDAS_MOS0125_H_V002 at http://gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov/getdif.htm?GES_DISC_NLDAS_MOS0125_H_V002. Details about the NLDAS-2 configuration of the Mosaic LSM can be found in Xia et al. (2012). The NLDAS-2 monthly Mosaic model data contain thirty-seven fields. The data set applies a user-defined parameter table to indicate the contents and parameter number. The GRIBTAB file (http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/hydrology/grib_tabs/gribtab_NLDAS_MOS.002.txt) shows a list of parameters for this data set, along with their Product Definition Section (PDS) IDs and units. For information about the vertical layers of the Soil Moisture Content (PDS 086) and Soil Temperature (PDS 085), please see the README Document at ftp://hydro1.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/s4pa/NLDAS/README.NLDAS2.pdf or the GrADS ctl file at ftp://hydro1.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/gds/NLDAS/NLDAS_MOS0125_M.002.ctl.

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ABSTRACT: Trace gas fluxes of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and nitric oxide were measured manually at undisturbed and logged forest sites in the Tapajos National Forest, near Santarem, Para, Brazil. Manual measurements were made approximately weekly at both the undisturbed and logged sites. Fluxes from clay and sand soils were completed at the undisturbed sites. Fluxes were measured at the deck (patio), skid trail, clearing and forest at the logged sites. Soil moisture is reported as daily average water-filled pore space (WFPS) for the undisturbed forest clay and sand soils. Data are reported in three ASCII comma separated files.

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Level 3, annual ascending wind speed product for version 3.0 of the Aquarius data set

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The RSS Monthly 1-deg Merged Wind Climatology netCDF dataset provides one degree gridded data for the monthly means of wind speed and wind direction, a 20 year climatology file, and a cumulative file from 1988 to the current month. This includes the anomalies for global winds over Ice Free Oceans (60S to 60N) and the tropical mean for 20S to 20N. Satellite informaSSMI (8, 10, 11, 13, 14,15) and SSMIS (16, 17), AQUA10 and Windsat(Coriolis). This dataset contains both netCDF3 and netCDF4 formatted files.

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The 2008 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) centers on two broad environmental protection objectives: (1) reducing environmental stresses on human health, and (2) promoting ecosystem vitality and sound natural resource management. Derived from a careful review of the environmental literature, these twin goals mirror the priorities expressed by policymakers. Environmental health and ecosystem vitality are gauged using 25 indicators tracked in six well-established policy categories: Environmental Health (Environmental Burden of Disease, Water, and Air Pollution), Air Pollution (effects on ecosystems), Water (effects on ecosystems), Biodiversity and Habitat, Productive Natural Resources (Forestry, Fisheries, and Agriculture), and Climate Change. The 2008 EPI utilizes a proximity-to-target methodology in which performance on each indicator is rated on a 0 to 100 scale (100 represents at target). By identifying specific targets and measuring how close each country comes to them, the EPI provides a foundation for policy analysis and a context for evaluating performance. Issue-by-issue and aggregate rankings facilitate cross-country comparisons both globally and within relevant peer groups. The 2008 EPI is the result of collaboration among the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy (YCELP), Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), World Economic Forum (WEF), and the Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Commission.

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The Improved Stratospheric and Mesospheric Sounder (ISAMS) Level 3AT data product consists of daily, 65.536 second interval time-ordered vertical profiles of temperature and concentrations of O3, H2O, CH4, CO, N2O, N2O5, NO2, and aerosol absorption coefficients. The insrument measured infrared molecular emmissions in the spectral region from 4.6 to 16.6 microns. ISAMS was flown on NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) and designed to measure the global temperature and composition profiles in the stratosphere and mesosphere. Limb measurements were made in the altitude range between 15 and 60 km at about 2.5 km resolution. Data were collected between latitude 34S and 80N and 80S and 34N, alternating each satellite yaw cycle of about 36 days. The ISAMS Level 3AT data were processed with the version 10 algorithm, except H2O which is version 9. The ISAMS level 3AT product consists of 10 granules per day. A data granule is one ISAMS species or subtype per day. The following species are measured: 1) AERO12P1 - aerosol at 12.1 microns [1/km] 2) AERO6P23 - aerosol at 6.23 microns [1/km] 3) CH4 - methane [vmr] 4) CO - carbon monoxide [vmr] 5) H2O - water vapor [vmr] 6) N2O - nitrous oxide [vmr] 7) N2O5 - nitrogen pentoxide [vmr] 8) NO2 - nitrogen dioxide [vmr] 9) O3 - ozone [vmr] 10) TEMP - atmospheric temperature [Kelvin] *vmr = volume mixing ratio ISAMS data are on the UARS standard pressure levels (in mbars) given by: P(i) = 1000 * 10**(-i/6) for i = 0, 1, 2, ... Each of the 10 ISAMS granules is accompanied by its own additional parameter file, designated as level 3TP. The parameter file, contains the additional ancillary and quality information not found in the 3AT file. The data files are available in a binary record oriented format.

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The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) is a facility instrument aboard the second Earth Observing System (EOS) polar-orbiting platform, EOS Aqua. In combination with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) and the Humidity Sounder for Brazil Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB), AIRS constitutes an innovative atmospheric sounding group of visible, infrared, and microwave sensors. AIRS data will be generated continuously. Global coverage will be obtained twice daily (day and night) on a 1:30pm sun synchronous orbit from a 705-km altitude. The AIRS IR Level 1B QA Subset contains Quality Assurance (QA) parameters that a user of may use to filter AIRS IR Level 1B radiance data to create a subset of analysis. QA parameters indicate quality of granule-per-channel, scan-per-channel, field of view, and channel and should be accessed before any data of analysis. It also contains "glintlat", "glintlon", and "sun_glint_distant" that users can use to check for possibility of solar glint contamination. AIRS IR Level 1B radiance data can be found in AIRIBRAD. (The Shortname for this product is AIRIBQAP). Coverage: Global, Twice Daily (Daytime and Nighttime) Resolution: 13.5 km at nadir; 41 km x 21.4 km at the scan extremes Spectral Range: 2378 channels from 3.74 - 4.61 um 6.20 - 8.22 um 8.8 - 15.4 um

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MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. Terra's orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths (see MODIS Technical Specifications). These data will improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of validated, global, interactive Earth system models able to predict global change accurately enough to assist policy makers in making sound decisions concerning the protection of our environment.

Summary

Description

MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. Terra's orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths (see MODIS Technical Specifications). These data will improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of validated, global, interactive Earth system models able to predict global change accurately enough to assist policy makers in making sound decisions concerning the protection of our environment.

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The SeaWiFS instrument was launched by Orbital Sciences Corporation on the OrbView-2 (a.k.a. SeaStar) satellite in August 1997, and collected data from September 1997 until the end of mission in December 2010. SeaWiFS had 8 spectral bands from 412 to 865 nm. It collected global data at 4 km resolution, and local data (limited onboard storage and direct broadcast) at 1 km. The mission and sensor were optimized for ocean color measurements, with a local noon (descending) equator crossing time orbit, fore-and-aft tilt capability, full dynamic range, and low polarization sensitivity.

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Surface roughness data for this data set were collected at several field sites as part of the Soil Moisture Active Passive Validation Experiment 2008 (SMAPVEX08) campaign.

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The through-cloud capabilities of microwave radiometers provide a valuable picture of global sea surface temperature (SST) while infrared radiometers (MODIS) have a higher spatial resolution.

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The Coastal Zone Color Scanner Experiment (CZCS) was the first instrument devoted to the measurement of ocean color and flown on a spacecraft. Although other instruments flown on other spacecraft had sensed ocean color, their spectral bands, spatial resolution and dynamic range were optimized for land or meteorological use and had limited sensitivity in this area, whereas in CZCS, every parameter was optimized for use over water to the exclusion of any other type of sensing. CZCS had six spectral bands, four of which were used primarily for ocean color. These were of a 20 nanometer bandwidth centered at 443, 520, 550, and 670 nm. Band 5 had a 100 nm bandwidth centered at 750 nm and a dynamic range more suited to land. Band 6 operated in the 10.5 to 12.5 micrometer region and sensed emitted thermal radiance for derivation of equivalent black body temperature. (This thermal band failed within the first year of the mission, and so was not used in the global processing effort.) Bands 1-4 were preset to view water only and saturated when the IFOV was over most types of land surfaces, or clouds.

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The Multi-Satellite Lambertian Equivalent Reflectivity (Noon Normalized) 10-Day L3 Global 2.0x5.0deg Lat/Lon Grid data product is derived from multi-satellite Solar Backscatter UltraViolet (SBUV) observations made by the Nimbus-7 SBUV, and NOAA 9, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18 SBUV/2 instruments at 340 nm. The Noon Normalized (NN) data have been corrected to local noon equator crossing time. The NN correction was applied only to data between latitudes 60 degrees north and 60 degrees south due to insufficient diurnal data at higher latitudes. The table below lists the date ranges for each instrument (note A = ascending node, D = descending node): Instrument Start Date End Date ------------------ ---------- ---------- Nimbus-7 SBUV 1978-11-01 1990-06-21 NOAA-9 SBUV/2 (A) 1985-02-02 1991-09-03 NOAA-9 SBUV/2 (D) 1990-04-25 1997-05-31 NOAA-11 SBUV/2 (A) 1988-12-01 1995-03-31 NOAA-11 SBUV/2 (D) 1997-07-15 2001-03-26 NOAA-14 SBUV/2 (A) 1995-02-05 2002-09-11 NOAA-14 SBUV/2 (D) 2002-04-09 2006-09-28 NOAA-16 SBUV/2 (A) 2000-10-03 2009-09-15 NOAA-16 SBUV/2 (D) 2008-04-28 2012-12-31 NOAA-17 SBUV/2 2002-07-10 2012-12-31 NOAA-18 SBUV/2 2005-06-05 2012-12-12 The scene reflectivities of the Earth at blue and ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths (320 nm to 415 nm) are low over most surfaces (except ice and snow), and are almost independent of the seasonal changes in vegetation on land and in the oceans. This makes it ideal for examining changes in radiation reflected back to space from changes in cloud and aerosol amounts, especially as affected by the start of climate change. The MSLERNNL3d10 data are archived in the HDF-EOS5 file format using the Grid model. The product consists of a single data file representing the entire data set containing the noon-normalized reflectivites in a single latitude versus longitude versus time data field array or variable. The data array contains attributes describing the variable, and the file contains metadata stored in the HDFEOS file attribute section. Parameters contained in the data files include the following: Variable Name|Description|Units LER340|Lambertian Equivalent Reflectivity at 340 nm (Noon Normalized)|% End of parameter information

Summary

Description

MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. Terra's orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths (see MODIS Technical Specifications). These data will improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of validated, global, interactive Earth system models able to predict global change accurately enough to assist policy makers in making sound decisions concerning the protection of our environment.

Summary

Description

MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. Terra's orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of wavelengths (see MODIS Technical Specifications). These data will improve our understanding of global dynamics and processes occurring on the land, in the oceans, and in the lower atmosphere. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of validated, global, interactive Earth system models able to predict global change accurately enough to assist policy makers in making sound decisions concerning the protection of our environment.