Biosphere Data Access and Tools

NASA biosphere data range from surface reflectance data useful for measuring the greenness of vegetation to measurements of nighttime lights that disrupt the behaviors of wildlife. Our datasets and tools help researchers translate these interconnected data points into actionable knowledge.

Dataset	Geographic Region	Temporal Extent	Data Format	Potential Application Areas	Related Subtopics
ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 Level 1 ScanSAR Product	Global	2014-08-01 to Present		Wide-area monitoring of land surface changes Regional vegetation and forest monitoring Large wetland area mapping and monitoring Continental-scale land use change detection Regional soil moisture assessment Broad geological feature identification	ecosystems, vegetation
ATLAS/ICESat-2 L2A Global Geolocated Photon Data V006	Global	2018-10-13 to Present	HDF5	Vegetation structure analysis High-precision elevation measurement Ground truth for other elevation datasets Fine-scale topographic change detection	vegetation
ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Land and Vegetation Height V006	Global	2018-10-14 to Present	HDF5	Precise forest canopy height mapping Biomass estimation and carbon stock assessment Habitat structure characterization Forest degradation and regrowth monitoring Urban tree canopy assessment Forest inventory support Vegetation structure biodiversity studies	vegetation
Daymet: Annual Climate Summaries on a 1-km Grid for North America, Version 4 R1	North America, Atlantic Ocean	1950-01-01 to 2023-12-31	GeoTiff	Ecological research on climate impacts Forest management and planning Wildlife habitat suitability modeling Disease vector habitat potential mapping Natural resource conservation planning	ecosystem, vegetation
ECOSTRESS Land Surface Temperature and Emissivity Daily L2 Global 70m V001	Global Land	2018-07-09 to 2025-01-06	HDF5	Plant water stress detection at field scale High-resolution thermal mapping Microclimate analysis in complex landscapes Ecosystem function monitoring	vegetation
ECOSTRESS Tiled Land Surface Temperature and Emissivity Instantaneous L2 Global 70 m	Global Land	2018-07-09 to Present	Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG)	Plant water stress monitoring Ecosystem thermodynamics research Environmental temperature extremes monitoring	vegetation
GEDI L2A Elevation and Height Metrics Data Global Footprint Level V002	Global Land	2019-04-04 to 2023-03-16 2024-04-04 to Present	HDF5	Forest canopy structure characterization Biomass estimation for carbon accounting Biodiversity habitat structure assessment Ecosystem structure monitoring Terrain model refinement under vegetation Carbon sequestration potential assessment	ecological dynamics, vegetation
GEDI L4A Footprint Level Aboveground Biomass Density, Version 2.1	Global	2019-04-17 to 2024-11-27	HDF5	Carbon stock assessment in forests Forest management planning Biodiversity habitat structure analysis Sustainable forestry certification support Forest degradation assessment Ecosystem service valuation	ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems, vegetation
GEDI L4C Footprint Level Waveform Structural Complexity Index, Version 2	Global	2019-04-17 to 2023-03-16	Binary	Habitat complexity analysis for biodiversity Old-growth forest identification Forest succession stage mapping Wildlife habitat quality assessment Forest management impact evaluation Forest restoration planning Canopy architecture research	ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems, vegetation
Global Aboveground and Belowground Biomass Carbon Density Maps for the Year 2010	Global Land	2010-01-01 to 2010-12-31	GeoTIFF	Global carbon stock accounting Forest conservation priority setting Carbon offset project development Ecosystem service valuation Land use policy development Biodiversity conservation planning	ecosystems, ecological dynamics, vegetation
HLS Landsat Operational Land Imager Surface Reflectance and TOA Brightness Daily Global 30m v2.0	Global	2013-04-11 to Present	Cloud Optimized GeoTiff (COG)	Land cover and land use change monitoring Forest disturbance detection Ecosystem service assessment Environmental impact monitoring	vegetation
HLS Sentinel-2 Multi-spectral Instrument Surface Reflectance Daily Global 30m v2.0	Global	2013-04-11 to Present	Cloud Optimized GeoTiff (COG)	High temporal frequency vegetation monitoring Forest health assessment Biodiversity and habitat monitoring	vegetation
MAIAC Daily V01	Global	2015-06-13 to Present	PNG	Enhanced retrieval of surface reflectance for vegetation studies	vegetation
MODIS/Terra Land Surface Temperature/Emissivity Daily L3 Global 1 km SIN Grid	Global	2000-02-24 to Present	HDF-EOS2	Climate model validation for land surface processes Wildlife habitat thermal condition assessment Land surface process energy balance studies	ecological dynamics
MODIS/Terra Surface Reflectance Daily L2G Global 250m SIN Grid V061	Global	2000-02-24 to Present	HDF-EOS2	Vegetation condition monitoring Land cover change detection Drought impact evaluation on vegetation	vegetation
SENTINEL-1A_SLC	Global	2014-04-03 to Present		Interferometric analysis for surface deformation detection Coherence-based change detection Phase-based classification of land cover Development of advanced SAR processing algorithms Time-series analysis for subtle change detection	terrestrial ecosystems
SENTINEL-1B_DUAL_POL_GRD_HIGH_RES	Global	2016-04-25 to 2021-12-24		Forest disturbance monitoring Land subsidence detection in urban areas	terrestrial ecosystems, vegetation
SENTINEL-1B_SLC	Global	2016-04-25 to 2021-12-24		Complex coherence analysis for vegetation structure Time-series analysis for seasonal change patterns	terrestrial ecosystems, vegetation
VIIRS/JPSS1 Land Surface Temperature/Emissivity Daily L3 Global 1km SIN Grid Day V002	Global	2018-01-01 to Present	HDF-EOS5	Daily thermal environment monitoring Ecological habitat thermal characterization	ecological dynamics
VIIRS/NPP Burned Area Monthly L4 Global 500m SIN Grid V002	Global	2012-03-01 to Present	HDF-EOS5	Ecosystem disturbance tracking Protected area management Forest management and restoration planning Biodiversity impact assessment after fires	ecological dynamics, vegetation
VIIRS/JPSS1 Land Surface Temperature/Emissivity Daily L3 Global 1 km SIN Grid Day	Global	2018-01-01 to Present	HDF-EOS5	Climate change impact studies on land surface Wildlife habitat thermal condition assessment	ecological dynamics

Biosphere Datasets

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Dataset Sort descending	Version	Platform	Instrument	Temporal Extent	Spatial Extent	Data Format
Delta-X AVIRIS-NG L3 Derived Vegetation Types, MRD, Louisiana, V2	2	King Air	AVIRIS-NG	2021-08-20 to 2021-08-25	N: 29.707 S: 28.9908 E: -90.3607 W: -91.5934	COG
Delta-X: Belowground Biomass and Necromass across Wetlands, MRD, LA, USA, 2021, V2	2	LABORATORY, FIELD SURVEYS	CHNS/O ELEMENTAL ANALYZERS, CORING DEVICES	2021-03-21 to 2021-08-27	N: 29.5102 S: 29.1714 E: -90.8219 W: -91.8852	CSV
Delta-X: Delft3D Broad-Scale Sediment Model, Atchafalaya Basin, MRD, Louisiana, USA	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2021-03-20 to 2021-08-28	N: 29.8218 S: 29.1725 E: -90.9994 W: -91.8697	multiple
Delta-X: Delft3D Broad-Scale Sediment Model, Terrebonne Basin, MRD, Louisiana, USA	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2021-03-25 to 2021-08-28	N: 29.5522 S: 28.979 E: -90.1564 W: -91.107	multiple
Delta-X: Delft3D Sediment Model, Site 294, Terrebonne Basin, MRD, Louisiana, USA	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2021-03-25 to 2021-08-28	N: 29.46 S: 29.4139 E: -90.8914 W: -90.9532	multiple
Delta-X: Delft3D Sediment Model, Site 322, Terrebonne Basin, MRD, Louisiana, USA	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2021-03-25 to 2021-08-28	N: 29.2532 S: 29.2413 E: -91.1003 W: -91.1134	multiple
Delta-X: Delft3D Sediment Model, Site 396, Terrebonne Basin, MRD, Louisiana, USA	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2021-03-25 to 2021-08-28	N: 29.3463 S: 29.3399 E: -90.8829 W: -90.8883	multiple
Delta-X: Delft3D Sediment Model, Site 399, Terrebonne Basin, MRD, Louisiana, USA	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2021-03-25 to 2021-08-28	N: 29.3044 S: 29.2961 E: -91.0969 W: -91.1123	multiple
Delta-X: Delft3D Sediment Model, Site 421, Terrebonne Basin, MRD, Louisiana, USA	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2021-03-25 to 2021-08-28	N: 29.1954 S: 29.1517 E: -90.8039 W: -90.8361	multiple
Delta-X: Foliar Stable Isotopes, MRD, LA, USA, 2021	1	LABORATORY	CHNS/O ELEMENTAL ANALYZERS, BALANCE, IRMS	2021-08-19 to 2021-08-27	N: 29.5102 S: 29.1714 E: -90.8219 W: -91.8852	CSV
Delta-X: In Situ Water Quality Indicators across MRD, LA, USA, 2021, Version 2	2	FIELD SURVEYS	MWA, SWMS	2021-03-25 to 2021-09-24	N: 29.7545 S: 28.7912 E: -90.5696 W: -91.4678	CSV
Delta-X: In Situ Water Surface Reflectance across MRD, LA, USA, 2021, V3	3	FIELD SURVEYS	PSR	2021-03-25 to 2021-09-24	N: 29.7545 S: 28.7913 E: -90.5697 W: -91.4676	CSV
Delta-X: Matlab Model for Wax Lake Delta Land Accretion	1	MODELS	Computer	2021-03-20 to 2021-08-27	N: 29.59 S: 29.39 E: -91.33 W: -91.58	ZIP
Delta-X: Modeled Land Accretion Rate Maps, Wax Lake Delta, MRD, LA, USA, 2021	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2021-03-20 to 2021-08-27	N: 29.595 S: 29.3892 E: -91.3286 W: -91.5784	netCDF-4 classic
Delta-X: NUMAR Predictive Model for Marsh Accretion Rates and Chemical Properties	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2020-01-01 to 2022-12-31	N: 29.76 S: 28.72 E: -90.19 W: -91.86	multiple
Delta-X: NUMAR Soil Accretion Modeled to 2100, MRD, Louisiana, USA	1	COMPUTERS	Computer	2021-01-01 to 2100-12-31	N: 29.7003 S: 29.0794 E: -90.4117 W: -91.54	multiple
Delta-X: Real-Time Kinematic Elevation Measurements for Coastal Wetlands, LA, 2021	1	FIELD SURVEYS	GPS	2021-03-21 to 2021-04-21	N: 29.5095 S: 29.171 E: -90.8223 W: -91.4455	CSV
Delta-X: Root Stable Isotopes from Herbaceous Wetlands, MRD, LA, USA, August 2021	1	FIELD SURVEYS, LABORATORY	SEDIMENT CORERS, CHNS/O ELEMENTAL ANALYZERS	2021-08-19 to 2021-08-27	N: 29.5101 S: 29.1714 E: -90.8219 W: -91.8852	CSV
Delta-X: Soil Properties for Herbaceous Wetlands, MRD, Louisiana, 2021, V3	3	Analytical Lab, FIELD SURVEYS	IRMS, CHN ANALYZERS, COLORIMETERS, CORING DEVICES	2021-03-21 to 2021-08-19	N: 29.5102 S: 29.1714 E: -90.8219 W: -91.4451	CSV
Delta-X: Sonar Bathymetry Survey of Channels, MRD, Louisiana, 2021	1	FIELD SURVEYS	SONAR	2021-03-25 to 2021-09-25	N: 29.7039 S: 29.103 E: -90.4013 W: -91.4728	multiple
Delta-X: UAVSAR L1 Single Look Complex (SLC) Stack Products, MRD, Louisiana, 2021	1.1	G-III	UAVSAR	2021-03-27 to 2021-09-13	N: 29.7804 S: 29.0131 E: -90.1331 W: -91.8333	multiple
Delta-X: UAVSAR L1B Interferometric Products, MRD, Louisiana, 2021	1.1	G-III	UAVSAR	2021-03-27 to 2021-09-13	N: 29.7856 S: 28.9827 E: -90.1334 W: -91.6574	ENVI
Delta-X: UAVSAR L2 Interferometric Products, MRD, Louisiana, 2021	1.1	G-III	UAVSAR	2021-03-27 to 2021-09-13	N: 29.7799 S: 29.0133 E: -90.1333 W: -91.5893	ENVI
Delta-X: UAVSAR L3 Water Level Changes, MRD, Louisiana, 2021	1.1	G-III	UAVSAR	2021-03-27 to 2021-09-13	N: 29.7799 S: 29.0131 E: -90.1332 W: -91.5894	ENVI
Dendrometer, Soil, and Weather Observations, Arctic Tree Line, AK and NWT, 2016-2019	1	METEOROLOGICAL STATIONS, FIELD SURVEYS	PYRANOMETERS, HUMIDITY SENSORS, SOIL TEMPERATURE PROBE, DENDROMETERS, SOIL MOISTURE PROBE	2016-06-07 to 2019-09-13	N: 68.7274 S: 67.9724 E: -133.531 W: -149.761	CSV

VIIRS

Vegetation indices measure the amount of green vegetation over a given area and can be used to assess vegetation health. A commonly-used vegetation index is the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which uses the difference between near-infrared (NIR) and red reflectance divided by their sum. NDVI values range from -1 to 1. Low values of NDVI generally correspond to barren areas of rock, sand, exposed soils, or snow, while higher NDVI values indicate greener vegetation, including forests, croplands, and wetlands.

VIIRS Vegetation Indices on Earthdata Search

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Biosphere Data Access and Tools

Commonly Used Datasets for Applications in the Biosphere

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