Making Earth Science Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs)

NASA, through its Earth Science Data Systems, supports the NASA Earth Science research community in providing Earth science data products and services driven by NASA’s Earth Science goals. NASA’s Earth Science Program is dedicated to advancing Earth remote sensing and pioneering the scientific use of satellite measurements to improve human understanding of our home planet in order to inform economic and policy decisions and improve operational services of benefit to the Nation. Through the MEaSUREs Program, NASA is continuing its commitment to expand understanding the Earth system using consistent records. NASA has begun to deploy new types of sensors to provide three-dimensional profiles of Earth’s atmosphere and surface. Emphasis is placed into linking together multiple satellites into a constellation, developing the means of utilizing a multitude of data sources to form coherent time series, and facilitating the use of extensive data in the development of comprehensive Earth system models.

Under the title program element of the ROSES-2006 announcement, proposals were solicited to focus on the creation of Earth System Data Records (ESDRs), including Climate Data Records. An ESDR is defined as a unified and coherent set of observations of a given parameter of the Earth system, which is optimized to meet specific requirements in addressing science questions. These records are critical to understanding Earth System processes, to assessing variability, long-term trends, and change in the Earth System, and to provide input and validation means to modeling efforts. The solicitation resulted in the selection in October 2007 of 29 projects for funding.

The MEaSUREs projects will be focused on product generation, availability, and utility.