The NASA Earth Observing System Data Information System (EOSDIS) Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAAC)
were given the charter of serving a very diverse set of customers. While they have done a remarkable job, two
groups in particular could benefit from more attention to the generation of customer-specific data products: K-12
teachers and students; and the citizen scientist community. This project will apply lessons learned from the 6 year
history of the highly successful Students’ Cloud Observations On-Line Project to make additional scientific
datasets accessible to K-12 students for inquiry-based learning. The same datasets will also be available to the
citizen scientist community. This will allow a larger set of investigators to study the huge body of data collected
by NASA about our complex atmosphere. In addition, connections betwen the two groups will be fostered, such that
teachers can find a local resource who can come into the classroom to help plan data use investigations and discuss
scientific questions.
The initial provision of data will be through a web interface developed for this purpose. An open source component
is also included to develop no-cost, easy-to-use tools that the education and citizen science communities can use to
facilitate data investigations. Data microsets are now available via Web site with associated lesson plans, computer
tools, data information pages, and a science glossary. Teacher workshops are planned each year to help teachers learn
about incorporating the microsets in their curriculum. Additionally, a Live Access Server (LAS) has been populated with
ASDC data holdings such that users can create custom microsets for desired time series, parameters and geographical
regions. Currently, parameters from the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES), the Surface
Radiation Budget (SRB), Tropospheric Ozone Residual (TOR) and the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project
(ISCCP) are available and provide important information on fluxes and cycles in the earth system.
