An attribute that applies to either the entire file or the entire collection of files.

GIBS provides full resolution visual representations of NASA Earth science data in a free, open, and interoperable manner.

1. The smallest aggregation of data which is independently managed (i. e. described, inventoried, retrievable). Granules may be managed as logical granules and/or physical granules. 
   
   See also: Scene 
    
2. The smallest aggregation of independently managed (i.e., described, inventoried, retrievable) data at a DAAC. Some web applications and services provided by DAACs allow for the subsetting of granules. One granule usually comprises one file, more rarely multiple files. The latter is not optimal as it complicates data management by both the archive and users, and utilization by tools and services.

These are metadata elements that describe a single granule of a data product. Values of granule metadata apply to all of the data in that one granule. Typical metadata in this category describe spatial and temporal extent of the data as well as the quality and lineage of the data. 

See also: Granule.