SeaWiFS Dear Colleague Letter

Follow this CHECKLIST to become either an Authorized SeaWiFS Data User or an Authorized SeaWiFS Direct Readout Ground Station

NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Washington, D C.
20546

Dear Colleague:

NASA solicits no-cost requests for research use of ocean color data from the SeaWiFS Program. SeaWiFS was built, launched, and is now operated by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). NASA has contracted with OSC for the research use of a 5- year ocean color data set. The 5-year data set started in September 1997 and is currently fully operational. Appendix A.

Research use access to these data may be obtained from NASA in two ways:

1. Researchers may request and be granted authority to obtain the data from the NASA SeaWiFS archive, from an approved NASA Space Act Agreement ground station or from an authorized individual or institution that has received data from either of these sources. The NASA archive data will include global coverage at 4 km resolution and limited amounts at 1 km resolution. (See Appendix A for ground station mask for direct broadcast station to be operated by NASA's SeaWiFS Project). Data from NASA's archive will be provided at a cost which does not exceed the incremental cost of filling the individual user request (See Appendix D). All data provided under this category shall be delayed at least 2-4 weeks.

2. Institutions and individuals may request and be granted authority to directly receive encrypted data broadcast by the SeaWiFS/SeaStar satellite as it passes overhead. Non-U.S. requests must be endorsed by an agency of the national government in the country. (Further information about international arrangements can be obtained from NASA's International Relations Division at the address provided in Appendix A). These data will be at 1 km resolution, but coverage will be limited to local data acquisition within the ground station mask. Costs for the ground station must be incurred by the requester. NASA may require a copy of the data received.

NASA may grant a temporary real-time NASA Space Act Agreement to a ground station for support of specific authorized research users. These NASA Space Act Agreements will be made in 2-week increments. Real-time NASA Space Act Agreements will be provided only where there exists adequate protections to ensure that the data will be used for research purposes exclusively, and when there is a compelling research requirement for real-time use by specified research users. An example of such a need is the support for a ship measurement campaign. NASA may grant authorization for a maximum of 12 stations at any given time. If real-time authorization scheduling conflicts occur, NASA will resolve them in consultation with research sponsors and the research community.

SeaWiFS Data Use Requests

Investigators desiring SeaWiFS data for basic research should respond to this letter by submitting a Data Use Request to NASA's Ocean Biogeochemistry Program. The request should be brief, but it must include:

• a title for the project;
• a scientific rationale for the request (not to exceed 1 page);
• general description of the spatial and temporal coverage required;
• the processing level (1, II, or III) of the data required if data are requested from NASA's archive;
• plans for publication/dissemination of results (for researchers) or data access (for ground station operators);
• a signed copy of the Research Data Use Terms and Conditions Agreement (Appendix B).

Those seeking ground station NASA Space Act Agreements must also provide:

• a signed Research Direct Readout Ground Station Terms and Conditions agreement (Appendix C);
• the location of the ground station (latitude and longitude);
• the name of the principal investigator, who is responsible for operating the station.

All ground station agreements must be signed by the PI and an authorizing official of the PI's institution. Non-U.S. requests must also be signed by representatives of an authorizing agency of the national government.

Data Use Requests will be approved solely on the basis that the proposal is for research use only and that the Research Data Use Terms and Conditions Agreement (Appendix B) is executed. Approval of Ground Station NASA Space Act Agreements for authorized data users will require the additional execution of the Research Direct Readout Ground Station Terms and Conditions agreement (Appendix C).

Schedule and Submittal Instructions

Proposals will be accepted now, and should be addressed to the SeaWiFS Project Manager at the address listed in Appendix A. This Dear Colleague letter will remain in effect until the end of the SeaWiFS program, or until a separate announcement is issued by NASA Headquarters specifying that this letter is no longer valid.

There is no specific deadline for receipt of proposals for research use of SeaWiFS data or direct readout ground station authorization. For planning purposes, proposals for real-time NASA Space Act Agreements should be received by 1 May yearly for operations during the 12 month period beginning the following October. Requests for temporary real-time NASA Space Act Agreements should be submitted to NASA jointly by one or more ground stations and the set of authorized research investigators requiring real-time access to SeaWiFS data.

Your participation in the SeaWiFS Program is encouraged.

Sincerely,

Dixon M. Butler

Enclosures:

• Appendix A - SeaWiFS Project, Data and Ground Station Overview
• Appendix B - SeaWiFS Research Data Use Terms and Conditions Agreement
• Appendix C - Letter Agreement for SeaWiFS Direct Readout Ground Stations
• Appendix D - SeaWiFS Data Charges
• Contacts

SeaWiFS Project Home Page

---

(gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428

Last updated 30 March 2000