A Web Based Tool for Visualization and Analysis of Atmospheric Composition Data

The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) has developed Giovanni, a web-based tool for the visualization and analysis of its atmospheric composition data sets. Giovanni allows on-line interactive data exploration, analysis, and downloading of subsetted data from multiple sensors independent of the underlying file format. Currently, several Giovanni instances have been developed to support satellite data from: 1) Aura MLS (profiles of ozone, trace gases, water vapor, temperature, and geopotential height); 2) UARS HALOE (profiles of ozone, trace gases, water vapor, temperature, and aerosol extinction); 3) TOMS and Aura OMI (column ozone, aerosol index, effective surface reflectivity); 4) AIRS (column ozone, and vertical profiles of water vapor, relative humidity, temperature, geopotential height, etc.); 5) Aqua and Terra MODIS (aerosols, clouds, and water vapor). Several plot types are available depending on the parameter selected: time-series, spatial distribution, vertical profile, animation, or Hovmoller plot along with simple statistics. The images generated during the Giovanni session can be saved to one's computer desktop. The user's search criteria can then be applied so that only those data of interest need to be downloaded. Giovanni is a simple, yet powerful tool enabling investigators to conduct regional or global long-term and short-term studies, as well as data validation. For more information see the GES DISC Atmospheric Composition web site http://acdisc.gsfc.nasa.gov/.