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- Data (7)
- News (5)
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- Events (3)
- Tools (2)
- Activities (2)
- Documents (62)
News - General News
ESA's improved Earth system data records: what is in store for the future?
Fundamental Data Records (FDRs) are instrumental in advancing our understanding of Earth systems and for addressing societal challenges effectively. These long-term records contain uncertainty-quantified, calibrated and geo-located multi-instrument/multi-platform satellite sensor data spanning several decades to support climate-related applications.
News - Thematic area articles
Transforming space data into climate action
ESA’s Earth observation activities are playing a key role in the revitalised global drive to combat climate change.
News - Spotlight on EO community
Introducing Mirko Albani
In this short introduction, ESA's Heritage Missions Programme Manager describes what he likes most about ESA's long term archive of satellite mission data and his role in the programme.
Activity - Projects
Dragon 2 Cooperation Programme
The Dragon 2 Programme focussed on the exploitation of ESA, ESA's Third Party Missions and Chinese Earth observation data for science and applications development in land, ocean and atmospheric applications.
News - Data Release news
New reprocessing of datasets celebrates 30 years of ERS
The ERS programme celebrated its 30th anniversary on 17 July. Today, we are still exploiting ERS data and experts continue to work on improving the altimeter, radiometer and SAR data the programme acquired.
News - Infographics
ERS - ESA’s first Earth observation satellites
To mark the 30th anniversary of ERS, we've released a new infographic summarising the mission.
Tools - Apps
Heritage Missions app for iOS
Download the Heritage Missions application to discover what the missions were about, how it worked and what the elements of the space and ground segment that make these missions unique.
Tools - Apps
Heritage Missions app for Android
Download the Heritage Missions application to discover what the missions were about, how it worked and what the elements of the space and ground segment that make these missions unique.
Document - Technical Note
ESRIN-ERS-Central-Facility-GAP-Files-Interface-Specification.pdf
This document specifies the interface through which files of data related to the Global Activity Plan (GAP), stored in the ESRIN ERS Central Facility (EECF), are transmitted to the external entities. The EECF systems involved in this data exchange are the Interface Subset (ISS), responsible for telecommunication aspects and preprocessing, and the Central User Service (CUS), where the GAP resides.
Document - Technical Note
ERS-National-and-Foreign-Stations-Operators-Working-Group.pdf
This document presents material from the ERS National and Foreign Ground Station Operators Working Group Meeting, which took place in Toulouse, France, from 14 to 15 December 1995.
Document - Proceedings
3rd-ERS-Symposium-Space-at-the-Service-of-our-Environment.pdf
Proceedings of the 3rd ERS Symposium 'Space at the Service of our Environment', held on 14-21 March 1997 in Florence, Italy. 3 Volumes.
Document - Proceedings
2nd-Conference-on-Academic-and-Industrial-Cooperation-in-Space-Research.pdf
This document describes the proceedings of the second conference on academic and industrial cooperation in space research, held in Graz, Austria, 15-17 November 2000.
Data - Data Description
GRACE-A and GRACE-B Level 1B, Level 1B combined and Level 2 Data Products
Level-1A Data Products are the result of a non-destructive processing applied to the Level-0 data at NASA/JPL. The sensor calibration factors are applied in order to convert the binary encoded measurements to engineering units. Where necessary, time tag integer second ambiguity is resolved and data are time tagged to the respective satellite receiver clock time. Editing and quality control flags are added, and the data is reformatted for further processing. The Level-1A data are reversible to Level-0, except for the bad data packets. This level also includes the ancillary data products needed for processing to the next data level. The Level-1B Data Products are the result of a possibly destructive, or irreversible, processing applied to both the Level-1A and Level-0 data at NASA/JPL. The data are correctly time-tagged, and data sample rate is reduced from the higher rates of the previous levels. Collectively, the processing from Level-0 to Level-1B is called the Level-1 Processing. This level also includes the ancillary data products generated during this processing, and the additional data needed for further processing. The Level-2 data products include the static and time-variable (monthly) gravity field and related data products derived from the application of Level-2 processing at GFZ, UTCSR and JPL to the previous level data products. This level also includes the ancillary data products such as GFZ's Level-1B short-term atmosphere and ocean de-aliasing product (AOD1B) generated during this processing. GRACE-A and GRACE-B Level-1B Data Product: Satellite clock solution [GA-OG-1B-CLKDAT, GB-OG-1B-CLKDAT, GRACE CLKDAT]: Offset of the satellite receiver clock relative to GPS time, obtained by linear fit to raw on-board clock offset estimates GPS flight data [GA-OG-1B-GPSDAT, GB-OG-1B-GPSDAT, GRACE GPSDAT]: Preprocessed and calibrated GPS code and phase tracking data edited and decimated from instrument high-rate (10 s (code) or 1 s (phase)) to low-rate (10 s) samples for science use (1 file per day, level-1 format) Accelerometer Housekeeping data [GA-OG-1B-ACCHKP, GB-OG-1B-ACCHKP, GRACE ACCHKP]: Accelerometer proof-mass bias voltages, capacitive sensor outputs, instrument control unit (ICU) and sensor unit (SU) temperatures, reference voltages, primary and secondary power supply voltages (1 file per day, level-1 format) Accelerometer data [GA-OG-1B-ACCDAT, GB-OG-1B-ACCDAT, GRACE ACCDAT]: Preprocessed and calibrated Level-1B accelerometer data edited and decimated from instrument high-rate (0.1 s) to low-rate (1s) samples for science use (1 file per day, level-1 format) Intermediate clock solution [GA-OG-1B-INTCLK, GB-OG-1B-INTCLK, GRACE INTCLK]: derived with GIPSY POD software (300 s sample rate) (1 file per day, GIPSY format) Instrument processing unit (IPU) Housekeeping data [GA-OG-1B-IPUHKP, GB-OG-1B-IPUHKP, GRACE IPUHKP]: edited and decimated from high-rate (TBD s) to low-rate (TBD s) samples for science use (1 file per day, level-1 format) Spacecraft Mass Housekeeping data [GA-OG-1B-MASDAT, GB-OG-1B-MASDAT, GRACE MASDAT]: Level 1B Data as a function of time GPS navigation solution data [GA-OG-1B-NAVSOL, GB-OG-1B-NAVSOL, GRACE NAVSOL]: edited and decimated from instrument high-rate (60 s) to low-rate (30 s) samples for science use (1 file per day, level-1 format) OBDH time mapping to GPS time Housekeeping data [GA-OG-1B-OBDHTM, GB-OG-1B-OBDHTM, GRACE OBDHTM]: On-board data handling (OBDH) time mapping data (OBDH time to receiver time Star camera data [GA-OG-1B-SCAATT, GB-OG-1B-SCAATT, GRACE SCAATT]: Preprocessed and calibrated star camera quaternion data edited and decimated from instrument high-rate (1 s) to low-rate (5 s) samples for science use (1 file per day, level-1 format) Thruster activation Housekeeping data [GA-OG-1B-THRDAT, GB-OG-1B-THRDAT, GRACE THRDAT]: GN2 thruster data used for attitude (10 mN) and orbit (40 mN) control GN2 tank temperature and pressure Housekeeping data [GA-OG-1B-TNKDAT, GB-OG-1B-TNKDAT, GRACE TNKDAT]: GN2 tank temperature and pressure data Oscillator frequency data [GA-OG-1B-USODAT, GB-OG-1B-USODAT, GRACE USODAT]: derived from POD product GRACE-A and GRACE-B Combined Level-1B Data Product Preprocessed and calibrated k-band ranging data [GA-OG-1B-KBRDAT, GB-OG-1B-KBRDAT, GRACE KBRDAT]: range, range-rate and range-acceleration data edited and decimated from instrument high-rate (0.1 s) to low-rate (5 s) samples for science use (1 file per day, level-1 format) Atmosphere and Ocean De-aliasing Product [GA-OG-1B-ATMOCN, GB-OG-1B-ATMOCN, GRACE ATMOCN]: GRACE Atmosphere and Ocean De-aliasing Product. GRACE Level-2 Data Product: GAC [GA-OG-_2-GAC, GB-OG-_2-GAC, GRACE GAC]: Combination of non-tidal atmosphere and ocean spherical harmonic coefficients provided as average over certain time span (same as corresponding GSM product) based on level-1 AOD1B product (1file per time span, level-2 format) GCM [GA-OG-_2-GCM, GB-OG-_2-GCM, GRACE GCM]: Spherical harmonic coefficients and standard deviations of the long-term static gravity field estimated by combination of GRACE satellite instrument data and other information for a dedicated time span (multiple years) and spatial resolution (1 file per time span, level-2 format) GAB [GA-OG-_2-GAB, GB-OG-_2-GAB, GRACE GAB]: Non-tidal ocean spherical harmonic coefficients provided as average over certain time span (same as corresponding GSM product) based on level-1 AOD1B product (1file per time span, level-2 format) GAD [GA-OG-_2-GAD, GB-OG-_2-GAD, GRACE GAD]: bottom pressure product - combination of surface pressure and ocean (over the oceans, and zero over land). Spherical harmonic coefficients provided as average over certain time span (same as corresponding GSM product) based on level-1 AOD1B product (1file per time span, level-2 format) GSM [GA-OG-_2-GSM, GB-OG-_2-GSM, GRACE GSM]: Spherical harmonic coefficients and standard deviations of the static gravity field estimated from GRACE satellite instrument data only for a dedicated time span (e.g. weekly, monthly, multiple years) and spatial resolution (1 file per time span, level-2 format).
Data - Fast Registration with approval (Restrained)
ERS-1/2 ATSR Averaged Surface Temperature [AT1/AT2_AR__2P]
The Averaged Surface Temperature Product (AST) contains averaged geophysical data at two different resolutions, and with respect to two different averaging schemes: measurement data sets at resolutions of 0.5 by 0.5 degrees and 10 by 10 arcmin with respect to a latitude/longitude grid; other data sets contain data averaged over equal area cells of 50 by 50 km and 17 by 17 km aligned with the satellite ground track. Both top-of-atmosphere and surface data sets are provided. The surface temperature data sets provide, for sea cells, nadir and dual view sea surface temperatures, and for land cells, land surface temperature (currently 11 micron BT) and NDVI. Cloud data is also included. No ADS are included in the AST product; auxiliary data is contained within the MDS. The data sets of the AST product are arranged by surface type and resolution. The 3rd reprocessing of ATSR data was performed in 2013; the processing updates that have been put in place and the scientific improvements are outlined in full in the User Summary Note for the Third ERS ATSR Reprocessing.
Data - Data Description
ERS-1/2 ATSR Meteo Product [AT1/AT2_MET_2P]
The data is a fast delivery Meteo product designed for use by meteorological offices, and contains averaged BT and SST at 10 arc minute resolution. The single MDS comprises the fields of MDS#3 (SST record, 10 arc min cell) of the AST product, with the addition of Average Brightness Temperature (ABT) fields (BT/TOA sea record, 10 arc min cell) to make it more self-contained. The 3rd reprocessing of ATSR data was performed in 2013; the processing updates that have been put in place and the scientific improvements are outlined in full in the User Summary Note for the Third ERS ATSR Reprocessing.
Data - Data Description
ERS-1/2 ATSR ARC L2P/L3U [UPA-L2P_GHRSST/L3U_GHRSST]
The L2P product contains full resolution dual-view Sea Surface Temperature (SST) values. These SST use the ARC SST retrieval and cloud screening which differ from the methods used to produce the Gridded Surface Temperature (ATS_NR__2P) products. In addition to SST, the L2P products contain the ATSR Saharan Dust Index (ASDI) and the clear-sky probability estimated by the ARC cloud detection algorithm. The L2P processor also generates L3U products; these are the L2P products averaged onto a regular grid at 0.1 degree resolution (they are therefore similar to the AR / Meteo Envisat-format products). The L2P and L3U products are provided in NetCDF-4 format following GHRSST Data Specifications (GDS) v2. The L2P/L3U archive has been reprocessed with a new processor based upon the ARC SST; the changes are outlined in full in the L2P Reprocessing User Note.
Data - External Data (Restrained)
ERS-1/2 ATSR ARC Level 3 products [AT1/AT2_AVG_3PAARC]
The recommended ATSR Level 3 products for Sea Surface Temperature (SST) applications are the ARC (ATSR Re-processing for Climate) Level 3 products. ARC reprocesses the ATSR multi-mission archive using new cloud detection and SST retrievals to produce a homogenous record of sea surface temperature. The main ARC objective is to reduce regional biases in retrieved SST to less than 0.1 K for all global oceans while creating a very homogenous record with a stability (lack of drift in the observing system and analysis) of 0.05 K per decade. ARC products are available for ATSR-1, ATSR-2 and AATSR. ARC products are provided in netCDF format and contain data for both the skin SST and the SST estimated for depths of 0.2 and 1.0 m (corresponding approximately to drifter and moored buoy depths). The AATSR estimated depth SSTs are adjusted to a local equatorial crossing time of 10:30 (approximately half an hour after observation), to provide continuity with ATSR-1 and ATSR-2 data. The ARC project was led by Chris Merchant (University of Reading, formerly of the University of Edinburgh) and funded by NERC and the UK Government.
Data - Fast Registration with approval (Restrained)
ERS-1/2 ATSR Gridded Surface Temperature [AT1/AT2_NR__2P]
The Gridded Surface Temperature (GST) Product is the Level 2 full resolution geophysical product. The product contains gridded sea-surface temperature images using both nadir and dual view retrieval algorithms. The product includes pixel latitude/longitude positions, X/Y offset and the results of the cloud-clearing/land-flagging. It contains a single measurement data set the content of which is switchable, that is to say, the content of each pixel field will depend on the surface type. Specifically, the contents of the data fields will depend on the setting of the forward and nadir cloud flags and the land flag. The 3rd reprocessing of ATSR data was performed in 2013; the processing updates that have been put in place and the scientific improvements are outlined in full in the User Summary Note for the Third ERS ATSR Reprocessing.
