nsidc—enhancing nasa’s contribution to polar science a response to the nrc polar research...

NSIDC—Enhancing NASA’s Contribution to Polar Science

A response to the NRC Polar Research Board’s review of NASA’s polar geophysical data sets

Mark Parsons26 April 2001

26 April 2001 PoDAG XVIII

NSIDC Attention to “Data Gaps” polar precipitation surface albedo all-sky surface temperature surface turbulent fluxes permafrost ocean surface salinity ice sheet mass flux freshwater discharge from terrestrial regions land surface characteristics sea ice thickness

currently outside NSIDC purviewsome work at NSIDCactive at NSIDC


General Comments on Data Gaps Some gaps easily addressed with current

technology if NASA allows (e.g., surface temp, albedo)

May need to reconsider DAAC foci. Should NSIDC (and ASF) cover more disciplines or is it better for other data centers to increase their consideration of polar needs and applications?


NRC on NASA's General Strategy Integrate polar data sets and global data sets in

the NASA data distribution system. Systematic comparisons of different versions of

the same product Give higher priority to sensor optimization for

polar applications. Explore alternative measurement approaches

from a cost-benefit perspective. Strengthen the connection between modeling and

its remote-sensing strategy for the polar regions.


NRC on NASA's General Strategy Support research to determine optimum uses

of polar remote sensing measurements in re-analyses.

Foster the development of spatially and temporally coherent, internally consistent polar geophysical data sets.

DAACs are the natural vehicles for long-term archival.


NSIDC on NASA's General Strategy Need better scientific coordination across DAACs,

ISPs, instrument teams, and NewDISS elements. Not solely a polar science or polar DAAC issue. NASA needs to rethink their EOS baseline

products. NASA shouldn't focus only on EOS at the cost of

important heritage data. Clarify who's role it is to “evaluate and document

the accuracy of existing data sets”. Consider work in other agencies.


Specifics on LTA Recommendation Some DAACs may be “natural vehicles” for

LTA but not all. NSIDC could be a good LTA but would need

long term funding commitment. LTA outside NASA’s traditional mission.


DAACs: Redundancies Some duplication in response to user needs. Do some intercomparison but could do more if

funded. NSIDC researchers are already working some

validation and could do more if funded Have begun explanation of differences with

DEM and Sea Ice pages. How much is it NSIDC's role to evaluate or

recommend data sets?


DAACs: Outreach Need to see survey to understand audiences

missed. NASA focus partially intentional. Did the committee recognize that there is more

to NSIDC than the DAAC? Consider membership of PoDAG who are mostly

“involved in large NASA programs”. Need more data set promotion. New web site should help. Focus for Outreach Coordinator/Committee


DAACs: Outreach to Modelers Provide more grid options on demand. Need closer ties to the modeling community

and maybe modelers in house. Possibly develop an outreach program to the

modeling community. Follow up on the data assimilation workshop

from a few years ago.


DAACs: Links We do this already. Just call. We could do more to organize and present the

links (web and other). We can’t provide information on the “quality

and limitations” of outside sources without major additional effort. Could provide more references.

Who are we to judge potential partners/competitors?


DAACs: Improvements in Tools What does “document...individual holdings

more effectively” mean? Through several web efforts we are trying to

help users better understand our data sets. More browse would be helpful. We are

incorporating more sample images and locator maps in catalog entries.

We can and do provide data access tools, but there are limits to what we can provide and support.


DAACs: Feedback and PI Sites A bulletin board is a good idea, but needs

active moderation. We are doing this with the PARCA data and it

highlights the limitations of this approach.

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