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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2000

Data Information for Global Change Studies: NASA's Distributed Active Archive Centers and Cooperating Data Centers

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is an integral part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Earth Science Enterprise (ESE). ESE is a long-term global change research program designed to improve our understanding of the Earth's interrelated processes involving the atmosphere, oceans, land surfaces, and polar regions. Data from EOS instruments and other Earth science measurement systems are useful in understanding the causes and processes of global climate change and the consequences of human activities. The EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) provides a structure for data management and user services for products derived from EOS satellite instruments and other NASA Earth science data. Within the EOSDIS framework, the Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) have been established to provide expertise in one or more Earth science disciplines. The DAACs and cooperating data centers provide data and information services to support the global change research community. Much of the development of the DAACs has been in anticipation of the enormous amount of data expected from EOS instruments to be launched within the next two decades. Terra, the EOS flagship launched in December 1999, is the first of a series of EOS satellites to carry several instruments with multispectral capabilities. Some data products from these instruments are now available from several of the DAACs. These and other data products can be ordered through the EOS Data Gateway (EDG) and DAAC-specific online ordering systems.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2019

NASA's Earth Observing Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been a central component of the NASA Earth observation program since the 1990's. The data collected by NASA represent a significant public investment in research. Consequently, NASA developed a free, open and non-discriminatory policy consistent with existing international policies to maximize access to data. EOSDIS manages data covering a wide range of Earth science disciplines including cryosphere, land cover change, polar processes, field campaigns, ocean surface, geodesy, atmosphere dynamics and composition, and inter-disciplinary research, and many others. This presentation will discuss data stewardship and archive activities.

Data Systems↗
NASA NTRS2018

NASA's Earth Observing Data and Information System - Near-Term Challenges

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been a central component of the NASA Earth observation program since the 1990's. EOSDIS manages data covering a wide range of Earth science disciplines including cryosphere, land cover change, polar processes, field campaigns, ocean surface, digital elevation, atmosphere dynamics and composition, and inter-disciplinary research, and many others. One of the key components of EOSDIS is a set of twelve discipline-based Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) distributed across the United States. Managed by NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project at Goddard Space Flight Center, these DAACs serve over 3 million users globally. The ESDIS Project provides the infrastructure support for EOSDIS, which includes other components such as the Science Investigator-led Processing systems (SIPS), common metadata and metrics management systems, specialized network systems, standards management, and centralized support for use of commercial cloud capabilities. Given the long-term requirements, and the rapid pace of information technology and changing expectations of the user community, EOSDIS has evolved continually over the past three decades. However, many challenges remain. Challenges addressed in this paper include: growing volume and variety, achieving consistency across a diverse set of data producers, managing information about a large number of datasets, migration to a cloud computing environment, optimizing data discovery and access, incorporating user feedback from a diverse community, keeping metadata updated as data collections grow and age, and ensuring that all the content needed for understanding datasets by future users is identified and preserved.

Remote Sensing↗
NASA NTRS2018

Serving NASA GES DISC Multi-Spatiotemporal Earth Science Data to the GIS community

NASA Earth Science (ES) data is essential to a wide range of GIS research and applications. However, for many GIS users, searching, accessing, using and analyzing NASA ES data can be of a great challenge- ranging from the sheer data volumes, types of science parameters, and to the complexity of data encoding formats. As one of the twelve NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Data Centers, Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC) archives and distributes petabytes of ES parameters covering atmosphere, land, and ocean fields. Most data are multidimensional and multi-spatiotemporal in nature and are encoded in different science data formats (e.g, HDF, HDF-EOS, netCDF, GRIB, binary), which usually contain multiple variables and different metadata information. By far, GES DISC has been developing a number of services and online tools to help GIS users to easily explore our data products. In this presentation, we will describe our ArcGIS-based data accessing and visualization services and portals, which allow users directly exploring the multi-spatiotemporal ES data in ArcGIS clients without having to pre-download/import the data. The ArcGIS services are also compliant with the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Coverage Service (WCS) and Web Map Service (WMS) protocols and can be accessed by any other WCS/WMS clients to get customized GES DISC EO data on-the-fly from such services.

Wei, Jennifer↗
NASA NTRS1998

OCTS and SeaWiFS Bio-Optical Algorithm and Product Validation and Intercomparison in US Coastal Waters

The successful launch of the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) Ocean Color and Temperature Sensor (OCTS) in August 1996, and the launch of Orbital Science Corporation's (OSC) Sea-viewing Wide-Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) in August 1997 signaled the beginning of a new era for ocean color research and application. These data may be used to remotely evaluate 1) water quality, 2) transport of sediments and adhered pollutants, 3) primary production, upon which commercial shellfish and finfish populations depend for food, and 4) harmful algal blooms which pose a threat to public health and economies of affected areas. Several US government agencies have recently expressed interest in monitoring U.S. coastal waters using optical remote sensing. This renewed interest is broadly driven by 1) resource management concerns over the impact of coastward shifts in population and land use on the ecosystems of estuaries, wetlands, nearshore benthic environments and fisheries, 2) recognition of the need to understand short time scale global change due to urbanization of sensitive land-margin ecosystems, and 3) national security issues. Satellite ocean color sensors have the potential to furnish data at the appropriate time and space scales to evaluate and resolve these concerns and problems. In this draft technical memorandum, we outline our progress during the first year of our SIMBIOS project to evaluate ocean color bio-optical algorithms and products generated using OCTS and SeaWiFS data in coastal US waters.

Brown, Christopher W.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Scientific and Technological Approaches to Searching for Extant Life in the Solar System

Future directions for investigations and measurements identified in the decadal survey Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 include direct methods to search for extant life. Within the framework a 35-year science vision for future decades extending into the 2020s and beyond, "Ocean Worlds" of the outer Solar System (e.g., Enceladus and Europa), as well as Mars, represent accessible targets that likely provide habitable environments that may support extant life. NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) is currently developing a multi-dimensional approach, led by astrobiology scientists in the ARC Space Sciences Division, technologists in the ARC Exploration Technology Directorate, and small payload engineers in the ARC Mission Design Division, to enable the definitive detection of extant extraterrestrial life in future NASA missions.

habitable environments↗
NASA NTRS1985

Future possibilities in objective analysis and data assimilation for atmospheric dynamics

The role that dynamics plays in estimating the state of the atmosphere from incomplete and noisy data is reviewed. Objective analysis represents an attempt at relying mostly on the data and minimizing the role of dynamics in the estimation. Data assimilation tries to balance properly the roles of dynamical and observational information. Sequential estimation is presented as the proper framework for understanding this balance, and the Kalman filter as the ideal, optimal procedure for data assimilation. The optimal filter computes forecast error covariances of a given atmospheric model exactly, and hence data assimilation should be closely connected with predictability studies. This connection is described, and consequences drawn for currently active areas of the atmospheric and related sciences, namely, mesoscale meteorology, long range forecasting, and upper ocean dynamics. Possibilities offered by judicious data assimilation in understanding barotropic adjustment, a phenomenon that appears to play a crucial role in atmospheric behavior on the scale of weeks to months, and hence in long range forecasting are addressed.

Ghil, M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Report of the panel on lithospheric structure and evolution, section 3

The panel concluded that NASA can contribute to developing a refined understanding of the compositional, structural, and thermal differences between continental and oceanic lithosphere through a vigorous program in solid Earth science with the following objectives: determine the most fundamental geophysical property of the planet; determine the global gravity field to an accuracy of a few milliGals at wavelengths of 100 km or less; determine the global lithospheric magnetic field to a few nanoTeslas at a wavelength of 100 km; determine how the lithosphere has evolved to its present state via acquiring geologic remote sensing data over all the continents.

Chase, Clement G.↗
NASA NTRS1998

SeaWiFS Technical Report Series: Satellite Primary Productivity Data and Algorithm Development: A Science Plan for Mission to Planet Earth - Volume 42

Two issues regarding primary productivity, as it pertains to the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Program and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) are presented in this volume. Chapter 1 describes the development of a science plan for deriving primary production for the world ocean using satellite measurements, by the Ocean Primary Productivity Working Group (OPPWG). Chapter 2 presents discussions by the same group, of algorithm classification, algorithm parameterization and data availability, algorithm testing and validation, and the benefits of a consensus primary productivity algorithm.

Falkowski, Paul G.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Summary of Terra and Aqua MODIS On-orbit Calibration and Characterization Results

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard NASA's EOS Terra spacecraft has been in operation for more than seven years since its launch in December 1999 and the MODIS onboard Aqua spacecraft has been in operation for more than 4.5 years since its launch in May 2002. Compared to its heritage sensors, such as AVHRR, CZCS, SeaWiFS, HIRS, and Landsat TM, the MODIS instrument was developed with improved spectral and spatial resolutions, and temporal scale or global coverage frequency. The two MODIS instruments are nearly identical with each collecting data in 36 spectral bands: 20 reflective solar bands (RSB) with center wavelengths from 0.41 to 2.2jm and 16 thermal emissive bands (TEB) from 3.7 to 4.4 microns. MODIS makes the Earth view observations with a scan angle range of +/-55 degree relative to instrument nadir and at three nadir spatial resolutions: 0.25km for bands 1-2.05km for bands 3-7, and 1km for bands 8-36, thus enabling complete global coverage of the Earth in less than 2 days. Both Terra and Aqua MODIS observations have been routinely used to generate a broad range of science data products that are widely distributed and extensively applied for the studies of the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere and for the monitoring of climate and environmental changes. It is obvious that the MODIS science data product quality strongly relies on sensor on-orbit performance and its capability of continuously tracking sensor response changes over time. Because of this, each MODIS was built with a comprehensive set of on-board calibrators (OBC) that include a solar diffuser (SD) for the RSB calibration, a blackbody (BB) for the TEB calibration, and a spectro-radiometric calibration assembly (SRCA) for the spatial (RSB and TEB) and spectral (RSB only) characterization. Most importantly, extensive and dedicated sensor calibration and characterization efforts have been constantly made by the MODIS Characterization Support Team (MCST) at NASA/GSFC. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of MODIS sensor operations since 1aunh and the onorbit calibration and characterization methodologies with emphasis on the differences between Terra and Aqua MODIS characteristics. We will summarize both Terra and Aqua MODIS onorbit calibration and characterization results, including their RSB and TEB detector noise characterization, the sensor response changes, and the corrections to the optics degradation. In addition to radiometric calibration performance, we will illustrate both sensors' spectral and spatial characterization results in terms of their band-to-band registrations and spectral band center wavelength shifts.

Xiong, X.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Implementing Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking for NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Mission

NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission will be the first NASA science mission to use Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) for routine operations. The DTN Bundle Protocol (BP) is being integrated into the core Flight Software (cFS) for the transfer of house-keeping files. DTN nodes will also be integrated into the Near Space Network (NSN) ground stations and the PACE Mission Operations Center. This paper will describe the DTN implementations, the PACE DTN operations concept and how this mission is a significant step towards the Solar System Internet.

dtn↗
NASA NTRS1993

ESTAR: The Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer for remote sensing measurement of soil moisture and ocean salinity

The product of a working group assembled to help define the science objectives and measurement requirements of a spaceborne L-band microwave radiometer devoted to remote sensing of surface soil moisture and sea surface salinity is presented. Remote sensing in this long-wavelength portion of the microwave spectrum requires large antennas in low-Earth orbit to achieve acceptable spatial resolution. The proposed radiometer, ESTAR, is unique in that it employs aperture synthesis to reduce the antenna area requirements for a space system.

Swift, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Visions of our Planet's Atmosphere, Land and Oceans: Spectacular Visualizations of our Blue Marble

The NASA/NOAA Electronic Theater presents Earth science observations and visualizations in a historical perspective. Fly in from outer space to South Africa, Cape Town and Johannesburg using NASA Terra/MODIS data, Landsat data and 1 m IKONOS 'Spy Satellite' data. Zoom in to any place South Africa using Earth Viewer 3D from Keyhole Inc. and Landsat data at 30 m resolution. Go back to the early weather satellite images from the 1960s and see them contrasted with the latest US and international global satellite weather movies including hurricanes and 'tornadoes'. See the latest visualizations of spectacular images from NASA/NOAA remote sensing missions like Terra, GOES, TRMM, SeaWiFS, Landsat 7 including 1 - min GOES rapid scan image sequences of Nov 9th 2001 Midwest tornadic thunderstorms and have them explained.

Hasler, A. F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Science opportunities using the NASA scatterometer on N-ROSS

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration scatterometer (NSCAT) is to be flown as part of the Navy Remote Ocean Sensing System (N-ROSS) scheduled for launch in 1989. The NSCAT will provide frequent accurate and high-resolution measurements of vector winds over the global oceans. NSCAT data will be applicable to a wide range of studies in oceanography, meteorology, and instrument science. The N-ROSS mission, is outlined, are described. The capabilities of the NSCAT flight instrument and an associated NASA research ground data-processing and distribution system, and representative oceanographic meteorological, and instrument science studies that may benefit from NSCAT data are surveyed.

Freilich, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS2000

SeaWinds on QuikSCAT Mission and Early Science Results

SeaWinds on QuikSCAT (QSCAT) is a dedicated satellite remote sensing mission for measuring ocean surface wind speed and direction, using a spinning, pencil-beam Ku-band scatterometer. It is a replacement mission for NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT), which was launched on board of the Japan's Advanced Earth Observation System (ADEOS-1) in August 1996 and returned 10 months of high quality data before the mission was terminated in June, 1997 due to the failure of the ADEOS-1 spacecraft. Since the next NASA scatterometer mission, SeaWinds on ADEOS-2 (SeaWinds), will not be launched until November 2000, NASA decided to fill the data gap by launching the QSCAT mission. Furthermore, after year 2000. the potential exists for using both the QSCAT and SeaWinds to provide approximately 6 hours global coverage of the marine winds. QSCAT is currently scheduled for launch in April, 1999 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, using Titan-II launch vehicle. The purpose of this paper is to first present the mission objectives, the spacecraft and instrument design, ground receiving systems, the science data processing system, and the data products. We will then present the post-launch calibration and verification results of the QSCAT end-to-end sensor system. Finally, we present some of the key results obtained from the first two months of the mission, which include ocean surface wind measurements, ice detection and classification, global snow cover detection, and flood detection.

Tsai, Wu-Yang↗
NASA NTRS2006

The NPOESS Preparatory Project Science Data Segment: Brief Overview

The NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) provides remotely-sensed land, ocean, atmospheric, ozone, and sounder data that will serve the meteorological and global climate change scientific communities while also providing risk reduction for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), the U.S. Government s future low-Earth orbiting satellite system monitoring global weather and environmental conditions. NPOESS and NPP are a new era, not only because the sensors will provide unprecedented quality and volume of data but also because it is a joint mission of three federal agencies, NASA, NOAA, and DoD. NASA's primary science role in NPP is to independently assess the quality of the NPP science and environmental data records. Such assessment is critical for making NPOESS products the best that they can be for operational use and ultimately for climate studies. The Science Data Segment (SDS) supports science assessment by assuring the timely provision of NPP data to NASA s science teams organized by climate measurement themes. The SDS breaks down into nine major elements, an input element that receives data from the operational agencies and acts as a buffer, a calibration analysis element, five elements devoted to measurement based quality assessment, an element used to test algorithmic improvements, and an element that provides overall science direction. This paper will describe how the NPP SDS will leverage on NASA experience to provide a mission-reliable research capability for science assessment of NPP derived measurements.

Schweiss, Robert J.↗
NASA NTRS2019

SPARROW: A Steam Propelled Autonomous Retrieval Robot for Ocean Worlds

This paper presents the results of a NIAC Phase I study into the use of a propulsively hopping robot for the exploration of Europa’s rugged, icy surface. Named the“Steam Propelled Retrieval Robot for Ocean Worlds,” SPARROW is a multi-thruster robot passively gimballed within a protective, spherical shell, which enables it to freely rotate, self-right, and tumble over chaotic terrains. SPARROW is envisioned as a soccerball-sized payload to a primary lander mission. Europa’s abundant surface ice would be harvested as an in situ propellant source. The principal objective of SPARROW would be to increase the science return of a Europa landed asset by enabling access to distal, spatially distributed geologic units. The design of mobility systems for Europa is challenging, due in part to its almost entirely unconstrained surface topography and strength. Images returned by Voyager and Galileo yielded resolutions on the order of hundreds of meters per pixel, with localized regions reaching 6 meters per pixel—still far larger than a typical rover. A key benefit of SPARROW’s hopping, impact-tolerant design, is that it eliminates the need for a piori information on the terrain topography and surface strength; no surface reaction forces are required for motion. In this context, SPARROW is entirely terrain agnostic. In this paper we detail the results of three study objectives: i) to quantify the energy required to collect surface ice, change its phase, and maintain propellant temperature, ii) to identify control and estimation strategies that enable SPARROW to successfully reach, and return from, regions of scientific interest, and iii) to characterize the impact of SPARROW’s range on likely science return. Five water-based propellant architectures are presented alongside their mass, power, and volume requirements. Monte Carlo simulations of SPARROW hopping and tumbling over 1 km of glacial ice are summarized, characterizing SPARROW’s sensitivity to uncertainty in: initial conditions, thrust control, and cage-terrain interaction. Finally, a science traceability matrix is presented, which details the effect of sortie range on three science goals: constraining Europa’s evolutionary morphology, assessing sub-surface ocean habitability, and searching for life and/or biosignatures.

Phillips, Cynthia↗