Earthdata Search

Earthdata Search
Name	Earthdata Search
Developer	NASA
Released	2010s
Latest release	ongoing
Operating system	Cross-platform
Platform	Web
License	Various dataset licenses

Earthdata Search

Earthdata Search is a web-based data discovery and distribution tool developed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Earth Science Data and Information System program to locate, preview, and access remote sensing and Earth science datasets. It provides discovery across multiple NASA Distributed Active Archive Center nodes and interoperates with international projects and institutions such as European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and United States Geological Survey. The platform supports users ranging from researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California Institute of Technology to practitioners at United Nations agencies and commercial teams at Google and Amazon (company).

Overview

Earthdata Search aggregates metadata from data centers including the National Snow and Ice Data Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center to enable dataset discovery. The service is part of NASA's broader Earth Observation System and complements missions like Terra (satellite), Aqua (satellite), and Landsat programs. It was developed alongside standards from organizations such as the Open Geospatial Consortium and the International Organization for Standardization to ensure interoperability with systems used by European Space Agency missions and academic infrastructures at University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University.

Features and Functionality

Earthdata Search offers temporal and spatial filtering, variable selection, and granule-level browsing tied to metadata standards like Dublin Core and ISO 19115. It exposes facets for instrument platforms (e.g., MODIS, VIIRS) and science disciplines connected to programs at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Center. Users can preview imagery, visualize time series, and inspect metadata fields used by projects at NASA Ames Research Center and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

Data Sources and Coverage

The catalog indexes datasets from NASA Distributed Active Archive Centers including NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Langley Research Center, plus partner repositories at United States Geological Survey and international archives tied to Copernicus Programme. Coverage spans atmospheric composition products that relate to missions such as Aura (satellite), cryospheric datasets from ICESat, oceanography products whose provenance aligns with Jason (satellite) missions, and land-surface records associated with Landsat. The collection supports long-term climate records used by research teams at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and policy analysts at Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

User Interface and Tools

The web client integrates mapping components inspired by frameworks from Esri and libraries like OpenLayers and Leaflet (software), enabling users to draw bounding boxes, select time ranges, and layer multiple datasets. Visualization widgets mirror tools available in platforms at Google Earth Engine and interfaces used by European Space Agency Science Data Centers. Authentication and account management align with the Earthdata Login system maintained by NASA and identity practices used by institutions such as ORCID and InCommon Federation.

Access and Data Downloading

Users request data via granule selection, with options for direct download, queued bulk retrieval, or delivery through cloud providers like Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform. Download workflows support subsetted variables and reprojections compatible with tools from Esri, QGIS, and analysis environments at National Center for Atmospheric Research and Argonne National Laboratory. Large-scale access patterns are supported for workflows used by teams at Microsoft Research and commercial analytics groups.

API and Integration

Earthdata Search exposes RESTful endpoints and supports standards such as OpenSearch and OGC WMS, enabling integration with science platforms at Pangeo (project) and workflow systems like Apache Airflow and Snakemake. The API facilitates programmatic metadata harvesting by institutions like NASA Ames Research Center and allows third-party clients developed by researchers at University of Colorado Boulder and companies including Planet Labs. Interoperability is strengthened via adoption of ISO 19115 metadata profiles and exchange formats used by Global Biodiversity Information Facility and similar infrastructures.

Security, Privacy, and Licensing

Authentication uses NASA's Earthdata Login identity service and aligns with access controls practiced by National Institutes of Health data services and federated identity frameworks like OAuth 2.0. Privacy considerations follow policies from National Aeronautics and Space Administration and data handling norms observed at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Dataset licensing varies by source: some archives use open licenses compatible with Creative Commons terms, while others maintain restricted-use agreements modeled after institutional policies at United States Geological Survey and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Category:NASA software Category:Earth observation