The NSIDC DAAC archives and distributes NASA data for researchers to study our planet’s frozen regions and their role in global climate and other Earth systems that impact people, plants, and animals. This page outlines our data publication policies and standards. The content here is a guide for data producers.

The benefits of publishing NASA-funded data with NSIDC DAAC

There are many benefits to publishing your NASA-funded data in an open data NASA repository like the NSIDC DAAC. Open data enables open science, the concept that scientific research should be accessible, transparent, and reproducible. This approach encourages diversity and access, makes science more global and collaborative, and accelerates discovery. In addition:

• When you publish your data with the NSIDC DAAC, you get credit for archived data products and their subsequent use.
• Your data are preserved and documented by a center that is a CoreTrustSeal-certified Regular Member of the World Data System (WDS), signifying that we provide reliable, high quality data services 
• The DAAC's process of QA and documentation ensures the quality of your data so that others can readily understand and use your data both in the near future and in the long-term. 
• Your data are easily discoverable amidst a vast data catalog of complimentary cryosphere data at NSIDC and in NASA’s Earthdata Search thus increasing the reach and relevance of your data.
• A broader group of scientists and data users can find, understand, and use your data to address a wider variety of questions.

What data can be published at NSIDC DAAC?

NASA DAACs are discipline-specific repositories providing expert curation of data and metadata. Data published at the NSIDC DAAC must be approved by the NASA Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) program.

There are two categories of data which are published at NSIDC DAAC

If you are not sure which category best represents your data, please contact nsidc@nsidc.org