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
ABoVE: Dall Sheep Lamb Recruitment and Climate Data, Alaska and NW Canada, 2000-2015	1	Airplane, SATELLITES, FIELD SURVEYS	VISUAL OBSERVATIONS, MODIS	2000-01-01 to 2015-12-31	N: 69.7074 S: 59.5978 E: -123.547 W: -163.281	multiple
ABoVE: Directory of Field Sites Associated with 2017 ABoVE Airborne Campaign	1	UAV, B-200	SAR, LVIS	2017-04-01 to 2017-04-01	N: 71.328 S: 52.7117 E: -103.596 W: -166.008	multiple
ABoVE: Distribution Maps of Wildland Fire Fuel Components across Alaskan Tundra, 2015	1	LANDSAT-8	OLI	2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31	N: 72.5229 S: 57.3911 E: -132.487 W: -170.006	GeoTIFF
ABoVE: Ecosystem Map, Great Slave Lake Area, Northwest Territories, Canada, 1997-2011	1	MODELS, LANDSAT-5, WORLDVIEW-2, ALOS	Computer, MSS, TM, WV110, PALSAR	1997-09-25 to 2011-09-14	N: 65.1494 S: 58.5141 E: -109.463 W: -123.036	multiple
ABoVE: Environmental Conditions During Fall Moose Hunting Seasons, Alaska, 2000-2016	1	GROUND STATIONS, Terra, METEOROLOGICAL STATIONS, Aqua	WATER LEVEL GAUGES, MODIS, THERMOMETERS	2000-01-01 to 2016-12-31	N: 64.9322 S: 64.5525 E: -156.665 W: -158.533	CSV
ABoVE: Gridded 30-m Aboveground Biomass, Shrub Dominance, North Slope, AK, 2007-2016	1	LANDSAT-5, MODELS, FIELD SURVEYS, LANDSAT-7	TM, Computer, STEEL MEASURING TAPE, ETM+	2007-06-01 to 2016-08-31	N: 76.226 S: 64.7265 E: -111.551 W: -168.576	multiple
ABoVE: Historical Lake Shorelines and Areas near Fairbanks, Alaska from 1949-2009	1	SPOT-1, AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS	HRVIR, CAMERA	1949-01-01 to 2009-12-31	N: 64.96 S: 64.8282 E: -147.66 W: -147.98	Shapefile
ABoVE: Ice Fraction of Small Water Bodies in the Arctic Coastal Plain, 2017-2023	1	Sentinel-2B, Sentinel-1B, Sentinel-2A, Sentinel-1A	Sentinel-2 MSI, SENTINEL-1 C-SAR	2017-01-05 to 2023-12-28	N: 71.356 S: 68.8998 E: -140.188 W: -164.431	COG
ABoVE: Ignitions, Burned Area, and Emissions of Fires in AK, YT, and NWT, 2001-2018	2	Aqua, MODELS	MODIS, Computer	2001-01-01 to 2018-12-31	N: 79.2618 S: 51.6346 E: -99.9838 W: -167	multiple
ABoVE: Lake and Pond Extents in Alaskan Boreal and Tundra Subregions, 2019-2021	1	PlanetScope	PlanetScope	2019-05-19 to 2021-09-28	N: 67.2081 S: 60.7642 E: -143.836 W: -164.402	Shapefile
ABoVE: Lake and Wetland Classification from L-band SAR, Alaska and Canada, 2017-2019	1	FIELD SURVEYS, UAV	CAMERA, UAVSAR	2017-01-01 to 2019-09-19	N: 67.909 S: 53.707 E: -107.864 W: -149.165	multiple
ABoVE: Lakes and Ponds Weekly Occurrence, 2016 - 2023	1	Sentinel-2A	Sentinel-2 MSI	2016-05-06 to 2023-10-14	N: 71.3907 S: 59.4374 E: -128.725 W: -166.194	multiple
ABoVE: Landsat Tundra Greenness and Summer Air Temperatures, Arctic Tundra, 1985-2016	1	LANDSAT-5, LANDSAT-7, LANDSAT-8	TM, ETM+, OLI	1985-07-01 to 2016-08-31	N: 90 S: 31.49 E: 180 W: -180	multiple
ABoVE: Landsat Vegetation Greenness Trends, Boreal Forest Biome, 1985-2019	1	LANDSAT-5, LANDSAT-7, LANDSAT-8	TM, ETM+, OLI, TIRS	1985-01-01 to 2019-12-31	N: 72 S: 45 E: 180 W: -180	multiple
ABoVE: Landsat-derived Annual Aboveground Biomass Density and Uncertainty, 1984-2022	1	LANDSAT-9, LANDSAT-8, LANDSAT-7, LANDSAT-5, LANDSAT-4	OLI, ETM+, TM	1984-01-01 to 2022-12-31	N: 82.3001 S: 41.9212 E: -52.6617 W: -171.845	COG
ABoVE: Landsat-derived Annual Disturbance Agents Across ABoVE Core Domain, 1987-2012	1	LANDSAT, LANDSAT-5	ETM+, TM	1985-01-01 to 2012-12-31	N: 75.6853 S: 50.259 E: -98.974 W: -169.96	multiple
ABoVE: Landsat-derived Annual Dominant Land Cover Across ABoVE Core Domain, 1984-2014	1	MODELS, LANDSAT-5, LANDSAT-7	Computer, TM, ETM+	1984-01-01 to 2014-12-31	N: 76.2257 S: 50.259 E: -98.974 W: -170.006	multiple
ABoVE: Landsat-derived Annual Dominant Land Cover in Boreal North America, 1986-2020	1	COMPUTERS, LANDSAT-5, LANDSAT-7, LANDSAT-8	Computer, TM, ETM+, OLI	1986-01-01 to 2020-12-31	N: 71.0677 S: 41.2276 E: -50.1766 W: -166.685	COG
ABoVE: Landsat-derived Burn Scar dNBR across Alaska and Canada, 1985-2015	1	LANDSAT-8, LANDSAT-5, LANDSAT-7	OLI, TM, ETM+	1985-01-01 to 2015-12-31	N: 71.3558 S: 50.2542 E: -101.736 W: -168.424	multiple
ABoVE: Lichen Forage Cover over Fortymile Caribou Range, Alaska and Yukon, 2000-2015	1	MODELS, UAV	Computer, CAMERA	2000-01-01 to 2017-08-01	N: 70.0906 S: 58.6124 E: -128.256 W: -153.858	multiple
ABoVE: Light-Curve Modelling of Gridded GPP Using MODIS MAIAC and Flux Tower Data	1	Terra, MODELS, METEOROLOGICAL STATIONS, Aqua	MODIS, Computer, MMS	2000-01-01 to 2018-01-01	N: 79.7489 S: 50.0604 E: -73.6407 W: -172.078	HDF4
ABoVE: LVIS L3 Gridded Vegetation Structure across North America, 2017 and 2019	1	G-V	LVIS	2017-06-29 to 2019-08-08	N: 78.1366 S: 7.126 E: -28.8244 W: -167.324	multiple
ABoVE: Methane Flux across Two Thermokarst Lake Ecosystems, Interior Alaska, 2018	1	FIELD SURVEYS	GAS SENSORS, CO2 ANALYZERS, GPS, SPECTROMETERS	2018-07-17 to 2018-07-29	N: 64.9207 S: 64.9151 E: -147.819 W: -147.85	CSV
ABoVE: Modeled Top Cover by Plant Functional Type over Alaska and Yukon, 1985-2020	1.1	COMPUTERS	Computer	1985-01-01 to 2020-12-31	N: 75.91 S: 51 E: -122.5 W: -176.1	multiple
ABoVE: MODIS- and CCAN-Derived NDVI and Trends, North Slope of Alaska, 2000-2015	1	MODELS, Terra	Computer, MODIS	2000-01-01 to 2015-12-31	N: 71.376 S: 66.988 E: -140.98 W: -166.85	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

Biosphere Data Tools

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Tool Sort descending	Description	Services
VEDA	NASA's Visualization, Exploration, and Data Analysis (VEDA) project is an open-source science cyberinfrastructure for data processing, visualization, exploration, and geographic information systems (GIS) capabilities.	Access, Analysis, Processing, Visualization, Geoprocessing
Vertex	Vertex is a graphical search interface for finding synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data.	Search and Discovery, Access, Downloading, Processing, Subsetting

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Biosphere Data Access and Tools

Commonly Used Datasets for Applications in the Biosphere

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