Realtime Atmospheric Data

1. Organization Description

The Unidata Program, located at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), helps researchers and educators acquire and use Earth-related data. Most data are provided in "real time" or "near-real time" -- that is, the data are sent to participants almost as soon as the observations are made. Unidata is a data facilitator, not a data archive center. Mechanisms are provided so that educators and researchers may subscribe to streams of current data that are of interest to them. Unidata is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

2. Collection Purpose/Goals

The purpose of the collection is to provide access to environmental data (mainly atmospheric at this time) so that geoscience community members, (researchers, K-16 educators, curricula developers, students) can use it for meeting their data needs. These needs may be atmospheric research, environmental studies, enhancing educational resources, developing new resources, that is, any projects that would benefit from realtime data use.

3. Collection Policy

The types of materials in collection include:

• Data - atmospheric; weather forecasts from various computer models (e.g. NAM, GFS, RUC) at various spatial resolutions.

4. Contact Information

Please direct questions about the collection to the Unidata Program, support@unidata.ucar.edu.

5. Resource terms of use

Currently, data accessible through the collection is generally produced by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) which is part of the National Weather Service (NWS) which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These data are freely available for use.

6. Metadata terms of use

Metadata is copyrighted by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). DLESE may modify, reformat, and redistribute metadata to function within DLESE systems and services.

7. Resource quality assurance

Data quality is the responsibility of the data source. For the collection, this is currently the responsibility of NOAA. Unidata does not add to, delete or modify information of data sources.

8. Metadata quality assurance

Metadata is generated by the Unidata Program. Quality assurance of metadata is performed and assured by Unidata staff.

9. Persistence plan for the collection

The collection is expected to exist indefinitely as long as the materials are current and useful to the community. Data that become obsolete are removed.

Last updated: 2006-06-12
Maintained by: Katy Ginger & Shelley Olds (support@dlese.org), DLESE Metadata

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