Land Data Assimilation System (LDAS): Data Sources

Data Sources Summary

GLDAS Forcing Datasets
This page provides information for forcing and land surface datasets used in GLDAS. Tables are given to summarizes attributes of the data and when available links to original data sources as well as web pages describing additional procedures for data processing and usage are provided.

Atmospheric Forcing Datasets

DATASET NAME	DATASET TYPE	PARAMETERS	DOMAIN	SPATIAL RESOLUTION	TIME RECORD	TEMPORAL RESOLUTION
NCEP's Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS)	Model Derived	Meteorology Forcing	Global	Gaussian (~0.313 degree)	Jan. 2000 - Current	3-hourly
NASA's Goddard EOS Data Assimilation System (GEOS)	Model Derived	Meteorology Forcing	Global	1.25 x 1.00 degree	Dec. 2000 - Current	3-hourly
The European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF)	Model Derived	Meteorology Forcing	Global	Gaussian (~0.25 degree)	Sept. 2001 - Current	3-hourly
Naval Research Laboratory Precipitation	Satellite Observed	Mean rain rate	60N - 60S	0.25 x 0.25 degree	June 2001 - Current	6-hourly
NASA/GSFC TRMM 3B42RT Realtime Huffman Precipitation	Satellite Observed	Mean rain rate	60N - 60S	0.25 x 0.25 degree	Feb. 2002 - Current	3-hourly
PERSIANN Precipitation	Satellite Observed	Mean rain rate	60N - 60S	0.25 x 0.25 degree	Jan. 2002 - Current	hourly
Disaggregated CMAP Precipitation	Merged Satellite/Gauge	Mean rain rate	Global	Gaussian (~0.313 degree)	Jan. 2001 - Current	6-hourly
Air Force Weather Agency Agricultural Meteorology modeling system (AFWA AGRMET) Radiation	Satellite Observed	Shortwave, Longwave	Global	0.25 x 0.25 degree	March 2001 - Current	hourly
NOAA/CPC CMORPH Precipitation	Satellite Observed	Mean rain rate	60N - 60S	8 km	Dec. 2002 - Current	30 minute
NASA/GSFC TRMM 3B42(V6) Precipitation	Calibrated satellite estimates	Mean rain rate	60N - 60S	0.25 x 0.25 degree	Jan. 1998 - Current	3-hourly

Land Surface Datasets

DATASET TYPE	DOMAIN	SPATIAL RESOLUTION	TIME RECORD	TEMPORAL RESOLUTION
University of Maryland Vegetation Classification	Global	1 km	Static	Static
Boston University Leaf Area Index (derived from both AVHRR and MODIS)	Global	1 km	1981-Current (AVHRR), 2000-Current (MODIS)	Monthly
Soils Database from Reynolds, Jackson, and Rawls (1999)	Global	5 minute	Not applicable	Not applicable
Elevation Database from GTOPO30	Global	30 second	Not applicable	Not applicable

LDAS Web Page
Developed and Maintained at NASA/GSFC

Brian Cosgrove: Brian.Cosgrove-at-gsfc.nasa.gov
Matthew Rodell: Matthew.Rodell-at-nasa.gov

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