Data Collections: Earth System Data Explorer
The My NASA Data visualization tool, Earth System Data Explorer (ESDE), helps learners visualize complex Earth System data sets over space and time. Below, datasets are organized by Earth System sphere, science variable, dataset name, and start/end dates. Click on the Dataset Name to go directly to this variable on the ESDE. There you will find a description of this variable, the units in which they are measured, and the NASA (or other) mission in which they are collected. Please note that these collections are continuously updated. If you don't see what you are looking for, contact us at larc-mynasadata@mail.nasa.gov.
Image Credit: CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain
For complete data citation information please visit the Earth System Data Explorer Data Citations page.
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Cryosphere
| Science Variable | Dataset Name | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albedo | Monthly Albedo Measured at the Surface | 03/2000 | 02/2022 |
| Snow and Ice Extent | Monthly Snow/Ice Percent Coverage | 03/2000 | 12/2022 |
| Glacier Extent | Glacier Area | 09/2018 | 09/2018 |
| Sea Ice Extent (Northern Hemisphere) | Monthly Sea Ice Extent 1979-2017 | 01/1979 | 12/2017 |
| Sea Ice Extent (Northern Hemisphere) | Monthly Sea Ice Extent 2018-2021 | 1/2018 | 12/2021 |
| Sea Ice Extent (Southern Hemisphere) | Monthly Sea Ice Extent 2018-2021 | 01/2018 | 12/2021 |
Geosphere
| Science Variable | Dataset Name | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albedo | Monthly Albedo Measured at the Surface | 03/2000 | 02/2022 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly All Land Cover Types | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Barren or Sparsely Vegetated Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Closed Shrublands Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Cropland/Natural Vegetation Mosaic Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Croplands Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Deciduous Broadleaf Forest Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Deciduous Needleleaf Forest Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Evergreen Broadleaf Forest Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Evergreen Needleleaf Forest Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Grasslands Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Mixed Forests Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Open Shrublands Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Permanent Wetlands Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Savannas Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Snow and Ice Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Urban and Built Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Water Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Land Cover Classification | Yearly Woody Savannas Coverage | 2001 | 2019 |
| Seafloor Sediments | Type of Seafloor Sediment | 1885 | 2014 |
| Surface Skin Temperature | Monthly Daytime Surface (Skin) Temperature | 09/2002 | 03/2023 |
| Surface Skin Temperature | Monthly Nighttime Surface (Skin) Temperature | 09/2002 | 03/2023 |
| Surface Skin Temperature | Monthly Surface (Skin) Temperature (degrees Celsius) | 09/2002 | 03/2023 |
| Soil Moisture | 7-day Average Groundwater Storage Percentile | 06/5/2017 | 02/7/2022 |
| Soil Moisture | 7-day Average Root Zone Soil Moisture Percentile | 06/5/2017 | 02/7/2022 |
| Soil Moisture | Daily Soil Moisture NOTE: Data for 06/20/2019 to 07/22/2019 is not available. |
01/2018 | 05/31/2022 |
| Soil Moisture | Monthly Mean Soil Moisture | 01/1948 | 05/2022 |
| Topography and Bathymetry | Topography and Bathymetry | 2011 | 2011 |
| Volcanoes | Location of Volcanoes | n/a | n/a |
Hydrosphere
| Science Variable | Dataset Name | Start Date | End Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation | Daily Precipitation Amount | 01/1/2017 | 07/18/2022 | |
| Precipitation | Monthly Average Precipitation Rate (Combined Sources) | 01/1979 | 06/2023 | |
| Precipitation | Monthly Average Precipitation Rate (Satellite Observed) | 06/2000 | 09/2021 | |
| Precipitation | Monthly Precipitation Anomaly (Combined Sources) | 01/1979 | 05/2022 | |
| Sea Surface Properties | 5-day Average Eastward Surface Ocean Current Speed Component | 01/1/2009 | 05/07/2022 | |
| Sea Surface Properties | 5-day Average Northward Surface Ocean Current Speed Component | 01/1/2009 |
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| Sea Surface Properties | 5-day Average Surface Ocean Current Velocity Vector | 01/1/2009 |
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| Sea Surface Properties | Annual Mean Ocean Acidity | 01/1/1770 | 01/1/2000 | |
| Sea Surface Properties | Daily Sea Surface Temperature (1995-2008) | 01/1995 | 12//31/2008 | |
| Sea Surface Properties | Daily Sea Surface Temperature (2009-2022) | 01/2009 | 05/10/2022 | |
| Sea Surface Properties | Monthly Mean Sea Surface Temperature | 12/1981 | 05/2022 | |
| Sea Surface Properties | Monthly Sea Level (Sea Surface Height) Anomaly | 01/1997 | 04/2022 | |
| Sea Surface Properties | Monthly Sea Surface Salinity | 04/2015 | 6/2022 | |
| Sea Surface Properties | Monthly Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly | 01/1982 | 05/2022 | |
| Topography and Bathymetry | Topography and Bathymetry | 2011 | 2011 | |
| U.S. Watersheds | U.S. Watersheds | 2018 | 2018 | |
| World Rivers | World Rivers and Average River Discharge | 1961 | 1990 | |
| World Watersheds | World Watershed Boundaries | n/a | n/a |
Updates:
- On May 26, 2021, Sea Level (Sea Surface Height) Anomaly was updated and now features data from a different source. Data for some years may have slightly different values when compared to the previous version, especially at any time after 2012.
