Ramachandran, Rahul

NASA Technical Reports Server

Making an IMPACT!
Dr. Rahul Ramachandran – Project Manager
IMPACT
Interagency Implementation 
and Advanced Concepts
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20180007127 2019-08-31T18:08:11+00:00Z
NASA hosts the single largest repository of Earth Science 
Data, integrating multivariate/heterogeneous data from 
diverse observational platforms.
Earth Science Data System Program
3
DOCUMENTATION
• Work with Science Teams to 
gather not only data but also 
all relevant information 
including documents, 
papers to ensure data is 
discoverable, accessible
and “independently 
understandable” to all 
stakeholders without 
requiring experts
STANDARDS/BEST 
PRACTICES
• Ensure data is 
usable/interoperable by 
tools
SCIENCE DATA 
PROCESSING
• Process data using science 
algorithms to generate 
standard products
• Translate data into standard 
formats, and generate 
browse imagery
ARCHIVE AND 
PRESERVATION
• Follow documented policies 
and engineered procedures at 
every step to insure data and 
information preservation 
against all reasonable 
contingencies
PROVENANCE
• Make the preserved 
data/information available to 
all our stakeholder 
communities with traceability
to support authenticity
The goal of the program is to oversee the lifecycle of Earth science data to maximize the scientific 
return of NASA's missions and experiments for research and applied scientists, decision makers, and 
the society at large
Change is the only 
Constant
Primary Drivers:
• New data streams 
• End user expectations
• Policy requirements
• New technology
Ramachandran, Rahul, and Siri Jodha S. Khalsa. 2015. “Moving from Data to 
Knowledge: Challenges and Opportunities.” IEEE Geoscience and 
Remote Sensing Magazine.
Data and Information Systems must continuously evolve and improve!
• Want to ensure 
that our data 
continues to 
remain valuable 
by increasing its 
usage 
• Can do this by 
better serving 
the non-
research 
community
How do we increase data use?
• Expand Communities of Practice for Earth Observation Data
• Building Applications 
• Agencies
• Private companies
• Application community needs are different from research community
• Build on lessons learned from collaborations with groups like SPoRT
and SERVIR
• How do we improve our tools, services to address their needs?
• I am here to learn from all you.
NASA SPoRT – Research 2 Operations
• Transitions 
experimental/quasi-
operational satellite 
observations and research 
capabilities to the 
operational weather 
community to improve 
short-term weather 
forecasts on a regional 
and local scale
• Active collaborations with 
more than 30 WFOs in all 
6 NWS regions and 5 
NCEP National Centers
SPoRT's Collaborative Partners
NASA SPoRT – Research 2 Operations
False Color Composites (RGBs)
• Past assessments and demonstrated value of multispectral 
compositing of NASA Aqua and Terra MODIS and NASA/NOAA 
Suomi-NPP VIIRS, continued now via NOAA/NASA GOES-R Series 
instruments. 
• Products are designed to use multispectral capabilities of direct 
broadcast (MODIS/VIIRS) and real-time (GOES-R Series) data in a 
manner that visually highlights hazards such as low clouds and fog 
(left) as well as dust or snowfall.
NASA GPM Data:
• Partnerships with the Naval Research Lab focused on routine generation of false 
color composites of passive microwave brightness temperatures of varying 
frequency and polarization
• False color composites focus imaging on internal tropical cyclone structure, rain 
bands, and eyewall features
• GPM cross-calibrated constellation of passive microwave sensors leads to 
routine use of these products in the analysis of tropical storms to diagnose 
center location
• Benefit of passive microwave: “see through” cirrus overcast to better pinpoint 
center of circulation, particularly in sheared systems
• GPM constellation rainfall estimates (IMERG) provide monitoring of heavy 
rainfall rates from these storms, particularly in radar-void areas
NASA SERVIR 
• Joint venture between 
NASA and the U.S. 
Agency for International 
Development in 
Washington
• Provides satellite-based 
Earth monitoring, imaging 
and mapping data, 
geospatial information, 
predictive models and 
science applications 
• Helps improve 
environmental decision-
making among developing 
nations
SERVIR is a global network of regional partners dedicated to environmental 
management through the integration of Earth observations and geospatial 
technologies.
Credits: NASA SERVIR
Through SERVIR’s fire monitoring system, use of satellite data is firmly embedded in Nepal’s 
government Forest Department. This system triggers action and response on the ground, 
especially in remote areas of the country. 
Red dots indicate forest fire hot spots, as detected by the satellite thermal sensors 
Detecting Forest Fires in Nepal from Space
SERVIR’s Forest Fire Monitoring System displayed in Nepal 
government lobbies

• GeoPlatform.gov provides 
open GIS data & services 
to support disaster and 
recovery response
• Supports various disaster 
response efforts including 
Hurricane Irma response 
and recovery
• Providing relevant NASA 
data and services in 
Geoplatform.gov could 
contribute to these efforts
https://www.geoplatform.gov/hurricane-irma-response-and-recovery/
How Does IMPACT Help?
The Data Curation for Discovery (DCD) team seeks to make open Earth science data more 
discoverable for both the research community and applications end users. 
Collaborative partners include:
● Data.gov
● GeoPlatform.gov
● USGCRP/GCIS
● PREP
● And other Interagency working groups


When Metadata Doesn’t Work…
Spatial Coverage
Wide Field Camera (WFC)
1 granule
LIDAR 2M granules
Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR)
449K granules
CALIPSO
Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal 
Polarization (CALIOP)
170K granules
When Metadata Doesn’t Work…
• Faceted search for ‘NDVI’ 
in Earthdata Search 
returns 14 datasets
• MODIS datasets are 
missing from the search 
results including:
• MODIS Level 3 vegetation 
indices datasets which 
include NDVI as a 
vegetation layer
Image Credit: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/696/spring-vegetation-in-
north-america
How Does IMPACT Help?
• The Analysis and Review of CMR (ARC) Team:
• Reviews Earth science metadata for completeness, 
correctness and consistency
• The team is made up of Earth system scientists and 
atmospheric scientists 
• Defines the needs of the Earth science community of 
practice and makes metadata recommendations that 
address those needs
• Collaborates with data centers to improve metadata quality 
as needed
• End goal: Improved discovery of data for users

Slides Below Have Not Been Touched 

Airborne Data Management Group (ADMG)
The Airborne Data Management Group (ADMG) has been established to ensure that airborne 
science data are discoverable and usable to the broader community by developing systematic 
approaches to airborne data management and stewardship. The ADMG will achieve this goal by 
acting as a knowledge base for airborne campaigns and by developing best practices for airborne 
data management and stewardship.
Airborne Data Management Group (ADMG)
The Airborne Data Management Group (ADMG):
• Assess 
• Assess timeliness of airborne data transfer including obstacles to data transfer, data processing 
needs and scheduling.
• Assess data formats being used by the airborne science teams and formats that are distributed 
by the DAACs
• Assess existing UMM models (UMM-C, UMM-Var, UMM-S) for describing airborne data.
• End goal: Increase discovery and use of NASA’s airborne Earth science data
Satellite Needs Working Group (SNWG)
The U.S. Group on Earth Observations Satellite Needs Working Group (SNWG) partners with Federal 
agencies every two years to identify high-priority needs for both sustained and unmet satellite Earth 
observation measurements or products. 
The MSFC data team has been tasked to assist the SNWG by: 
• Serving as data liaisons between the SNWG and ESDIS
• Creating an inventory of agency needs and data that meet those needs
• Developing agency data need profiles.
Deliverables: 
• Community Involvement and Reporting
• User Assessments
• Data Curation
Satellite Needs Working Group (SNWG)
The goal of the SNWG is to develop a database that can be queried to populate a list of 
databases that meet interagency needs. Interagency needs will be obtained through surveys 
administered by the SNWG.
Participating agencies include:
● EPA
● FEMA
● USGS
● NOAA
● NSF
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community where Member organizations, 
a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards.  The W3C develops 
protocols and guidelines that ensure the long-term growth and sustainability of the Web. W3C's 
standards define key parts of what makes the World Wide Web work by encouraging cooperation in 
the industry through the promotion and development of standard interfaces.
Deliverables:
• Monitor Spatial Data on the Web Interest Group activities
• Identify best practices from the Spatial Data on the Web Interest Group to contribute back to 
ESDS
• Monitor Dataset Exchange Working Group activities
• Identify best practices from the Dataset Exchange Working Group to contribute back to ESDS
• Develop a process for reporting relevant W3C recommendations back to ESDIS.
Multi-Mission Analysis Platform (MAP)
The goal for the Multi-Mission Analysis Platform (MAP) is to establish a collaboration framework 
between ESA and NASA to share data, science algorithms and compute resources in order to foster 
and accelerate scientific research conducted by NASA and ESA scientists.
The MSFC MAP data team will ensure the ongoing quality of the data, metadata and other 
information provided in the MAP. The MSFC MAP data team will collaborate on the curation of 
relevant data to the MAP across both ESA and NASA with support from the MAP user working group 
as needed. Additionally, the MSFC data team will support the ingest and archive of identified data to 
the MAP platform. 
Deliverables:
• Data Curation and Stewardship
• Data Ingest
• Metadata (MAP CMR)
• Data Analysis
ESA-NASA Multi-Mission Analysis Platform Approach
• Image and caption courtesy of NASA Goddard Photo and 
Video photostream. Credit: USGS/NASA/Landsat 7.


Making an IMPACT!

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