Selected Remote Sensing Data Catalogs and Search Tools

Note: This annotated guide was published in 1998. The links on this page are no longer maintained.

3.1 Multiple Data Center Catalogs and Search Tools

1. * SEDAC Data and Information Catalog Services. This online search interface, developed by the Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), provides integrated searching of multiple catalogs that conform to the Z39.50 international standard, including the Global Change Master Directory (GCMD), various National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) catalogs, and CIESIN's own metadata holdings. SEDAC Catalog Services support both full-text search and Boolean searches on specified fields. Availability: http://wwwgateway.ciesin.org
   
   
2. Department of Defense Master Environmental Library (MEL). MEL is designed to provide a single point for searching U.S. Department of Defense environmental data. It provides access to metadata developed by distributed regional sites. Users may specify a location, time period, keyword(s), and database of interest. Both Java and non-Java query interfaces are currently provided. Availability: http://www-mel.nrlmry.navy.mil/homepage.html (**not checked)
   
   
3. * Earth Pages. Earth Pages is an on-line search and index tool for earth science data, information, and resources on the Internet. Resources are organized by topic or alphabetically or may be searched using keywords. Organizations must register in order to be included in the database. Availability: (**not there)
   
   
4. EOSDIS Information Management System (IMS). The IMS provides access to the extensive data holdings of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A X Window-based graphical user interface (GUI) supports data searching and browsing, access to directory and guide information, and data ordering. A WWW-based interface provides more limited search and access capabilities. Availability: For the WWW interface, see http://harp.gsfc.nasa.gov/~imswww/pub/imswelcome/ . For the GUI, see http://www-v0ims.gsfc.nasa.gov/v0ims/ims_access.html for a list of telnet access points.
   
   
5. European Wide Service Exchange (EWSE). The EWSE is an on-line information exchange testbed of the Centre for Earth Observation (CEO) Programme designed to help the Earth observation community find relevant data and resources. The service supports both free text searching, geographic and keyword searching, and browsing of a dynamic data base. EWSE also provides access to gateways compatible with the NASA Information Management System. Availability: (**not there)
   
   
6. * The Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). The GCMD provides access to an extensive set of metadata records describing remote sensing, in situ, and other Earth science data. The GCMD search interface permits both free-text and controlled searches (using standard search terms). The GCMD is the American Coordinating Node of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites International Directory Network (CEOS IDN). Availability: http://gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov/
   
   
7. Global Environmental Information Locator Service (GELOS). GELOS is an alpha version search tool developed as part of the G7 Environment and Natural Resources Management project (G7-ENRM). The G7-ENRM project seeks to create a globally distributed virtual library of environmental and natural resource data. The current version of GELOS supports free-text, geographical, and keyword searches. Availability: http://enrm.ceo.org/
   
   
8. NOAA Environmental Services Data Directory. This catalog includes metadata for the extensive environmental data holdings of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including many NOAA data centers such as the Satellite Active Archive (SAA), the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), and the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC). The catalog supports both full text search and custom searches utilizing fields corresponding to the Governmental Information Locator System (GILS) or the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata. Availability: http://www.esdim.noaa.gov/NOAA-Catalog/

3.2 Selected Data Center Catalogs and Search Tools

1. CCRS Earth Observation Catalogue (CEOCat). The Canada Centre for Remote Sensing maintains an on-line inventory of "quick look" images for its holdings of Land Remote-Sensing Satellite (Landsat), Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), SPOT, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. Availability: http://www.ccrs.nrcan.gc.ca/ccrs/
   
   
2. CRISP Catalogue Browse. Permits browsing of SPOT, ERS, and RADARSAT imagery for South and Southeast Asia available from the Center for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing (CRISP), the National University of Singapore. Availability: http://www.crisp.nus.sg/
   
   
3. EUS/Guide: EOIS User Interface Software for Guidesystem. This prototype interface provides inventory-level search for the holdings of the Earth Observation Information System (EOIS) of the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). Searches may be conducted based on dataset name, physical parameter, and sensor name for the Japan area or the globe. Both English and Japanese versions of the interface are available. Availability: http://www.eoc.nasda.go.jp/guide/eus/index.html
   
   
4. Global Land Information System (GLIS). The U.S. Geological Survey's GLIS provides on-line access to the extensive libraries of land-oriented remote sensing imagery held by the U.S. government and Canadian and European sources. Four different interfaces are supported: a X-Window client, a PC client, an ASCII text interface, and a WWW interface (including both "frames" and "nonframes" versions). The client interfaces support more interactive and powerful search and browse functions. Availability: http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/glis/glis.html for WWW access and for information on downloading clients.