Please contact us at any time if you have questions or would like help with finding data for your research needs.

The process of narrowing your list of datasets is a "drill-down" process. Each choice you make gives you datasets that match that choice, but only if they have matched all of your previous choices. This allows you to narrow an initially large list of datasets down to a manageable list of datasets that you can investigate further for your research needs. You can see all of the choices you have made in the orange bar at the top of your list. You can revert the list back to any of your previous choices by clicking the links in the orange bar.

The following explains the meanings of the narrowing options in the "Look for Data" menu:

• Variable
The variable refers to the quantity that is measured (e.g. - temperature, precipitation amount, etc.)

• Time Resolution
The time resolution refers to how often the data occur in the dataset. A time resolution of "Hourly to < Daily" means data that occurs no more often than once per hour and at least more than once per day.

• Data Type
The data type refers to how the data are organized and presented. The data types we present are described as:
• Geospatial Fix:
• Grid: Data are arranged in a regularly-spaced array of gridpoints (e.g. - output from a computer model, station data that have been interpolated to a grid, etc.)
• Location: Catalog information about observing platforms (ID, latitude, longitude, elevation, etc.)
• Log Entry:
• Platform Observation: Generally, in-situ observations made by some type of platform (e.g. - observations from a land station or ship, etc.), but may also include observations derived from a remote sensor (e.g. - a vertical profile of temperature at a specific location derived from satellite data)
• Radar: Reflectivity scans from a radar
• Satellite: Radiances, either as an image or orbital scan lines, from a satellite


• Platform
The platform refers to the type of system from which the data were acquired (e.g. - land station, aircraft, ship, etc.) or produced (e.g. - computer model).

• Project/Experiment
The project/experiment refers to the program or campaign during which the data were acquired (e.g. - GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment, NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis, etc.)

• Progress
Progress refers to the status of the dataset. A progress of "Complete" means that the dataset is in its final form and does not receive regular updates. A progress of "Continually Updated" means that the dataset receives regular updates that extend the ending date/time of the dataset to keep it current.

• Data Format
The data format refers to how the data are laid out within a data file. This information is needed so you will know how to decode the data, and you can use this option to find datasets that have a format which is recognizable by data tools that you use.

• Free Text
The free text option allows you to enter any words of your choice.