The National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) provides scientific stewardship, products and services for geophysical data describing the solid earth, marine, and solar-terrestrial environment, as well as earth observations from space.

Location and controlling bodies

The NGDC, located in Boulder, Colorado, is a part of the US Department of Commerce (USDOC), National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS). They are one of three NOAA National Data Centers (NNDC).

Mission

The NOAA NESDIS mission is to provide and ensure timely access to global environmental data from satellites and other sources to promote, protect, and enhance the U.S.'s economy, security, environment, and quality of life. To fulfill its responsibilities NESDIS acquires and manages the U.S.'s operational environmental satellites, provides data and information services, and conducts related research.

Data holdings

NGDC's data holdings currently contain more than 300 digital and analog databases, some of which are very large. As technology advances, so does the search for more efficient ways of preserving these data.

Data contributors

NGDC works closely with contributors of scientific data to prepare documented, reliable data sets. They welcome cooperative projects with other government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and universities, and encourage data exchange.

Data Users

NGDC's data users include:

• private industry
• universities and other educational facilities
• research organizations
• federal, state, and local governments
• foreign governments, industry, and academia
• publishers and other mass media
• the general public

Data Management

The Data Center continually develops data management programs that reflect the changing world of geophysics.

External links

• National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) (http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/)