Distribution of data from the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) is funded by NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). Consistent with NASA Earth Science Data and Information Policy data from the GES DISC archive are available free to the user community.
Starting August 1st, 2016, access to GES DISC data requires all users to be registered with the Earthdata Login system. Data continues to be free of charge and accessible via HTTP. Access to data via FTP will no longer be available on or after October 3rd, 2016. Detailed instructions on how to register and receive authorization to access GES DISC data are provided here.
Data Citations and Acknowledgements
The data set source should be properly cited when the data are used. A formal reference of the form:
<authors>, 2012, last updated 2013: <dataset name>. NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD, USA, NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC). Accessed <enter user data access date> at <DOI>
is suggested following Parsons et al. (2010), DOI: 10.1029/2010EO340001.
For example,
Matthew Rodell and Hiroko Kato Beaudoing, NASA/GSFC/HSL (08.16.2007), GLDAS CLM Land Surface Model L4 3 Hourly 1.0 x 1.0 degree Subsetted,version 001, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA:Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), Accessed Enter User Data Access Date at doi:10.5067/83NO2QDLG6M0
In the event that a DOI has not yet been assigned to a data set a persistent URL for a data set landing page where access to data and information on the data can be obtained is recommended in the form
http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/datacollection/<product_name>.html
Any questions on this policy or regarding data obtained from NASA GES DISC should be directed to
We would appreciate receiving an electronic copy of your publication, which can be sent via email to:
Or it can be forwarded to the following:
Goddard Earth Sciences DISC Help Desk
Code 610.2
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD 20771
