Source and data register - Space and Earth Observation

Space and Earth Observation

The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI)

G-P12 · EVIDENCE · sourcesGCRI dossier · service level R0

GCRISpace and Earth ObservationIn development

Source and data register

Where Space and Earth Observation gets its data, on what terms, with what quality and with which known gaps.

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Space and Earth ObservationRegister

01FieldsSpace and Earth observation, Climate and hazards
02STEM methods7 canonical methods applied
03Topics8 subject pages
04Counterparts7 platforms in shared fields
05PublisherThe Global Centre for Risk and Innovation

GCRI · In development · service level R0

01In brief

The short answer.

The Space and Earth Observation source register lists the datasets and records the platform draws on, such as Copernicus Sentinel missions (ESA and European Commission), each with its producer, licence and permitted uses, quality and known gaps. A source is listed only once its terms permit the use described, and data held by agreement is used under those terms and never republished.

02Canvas

Draft to published version.

Canvas · draft to published versionDesign, not a record

Fig.How a finding is reviewed before it is published. Design, not a record.

03Geography

Connected activity in the Arctic.

The interactive map needs JavaScript; the layer list and sources are below.

Layers 2

Connected activity, for this page

Latest available

NASA GIBS / EOSDIS · ASTER GDEM (METI, NASA) · Blue Marble (NASA) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Natural Earth

Loading the latest NASA imagery.

Drag to move. Ctrl or ⌘ and scroll, pinch or the buttons to zoom; hover for the values under the pointer; reset returns to the region.

For source and data register, in GCRI's spatial-intelligence reading, the map opens on true-colour imagery and land cover with true colour from NASA GIBS, framed on the Arctic; every other NASA layer, live feed and forecast waits in the layer list.Satellite and model products as NASA publishes them, each with its own date; indicators, not assessments of any place; claim ceiling INTEGRATED.

Data: NASA GIBS · ASTER GDEM · Blue Marble · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Natural Earth · Copernicus Sentinel-2 L2A · NASA HLS S30Sources and licences

We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
VIIRS near-real-time products (flood, land surface temperature, snow cover, corrected reflectance), NASA LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
MODIS land products (vegetation indices, gross primary production, land cover), NASA LP DAAC and LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
VIIRS Black Marble night-time lights, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; distributed by the NASA Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System (LAADS DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University. 2018. Gridded Population of the World, Version 4 (GPWv4): Population Density, Revision 11. NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). CC BY 4.0
ASTER GDEM is a product of METI and NASA (ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003, NASA LP DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
Made with Natural Earth. Free vector and raster map data @ naturalearthdata.com. Public domain
© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via NASA GIBS (coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). ODbL
Blue Marble, NASA Earth Observatory; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
Context on the globe and flat map: coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names from NASA GIBS reference layers (OpenStreetMap data, ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors); Blue Marble imagery as an optional base; 3D terrain and the elevation read-out from the ASTER GDEM elevation colour index (5 m to 200 m classes, exaggerated for legibility). Boundaries are drawn as published and imply no position on any territory.
Globe: MapLibre GL JS 6.9.1, BSD-3-Clause, © MapLibre contributors.
Observed (EO): Copernicus Sentinel-2 L2A (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2026), Microsoft Planetary Computer
Observed (EO): NASA HLS S30 (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2026). We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS).
Optional layers (35 sources in the layer list: live, forecast, observed and context) print their provider credit on the map and here when switched on; forecasts are model output and derived indices are estimates.

Layers and dates

True colour: VIIRS NOAA-20 corrected reflectance, NASA LANCE · 13 Oct 2026
Land cover type (IGBP), yearly: MODIS Terra and Aqua land cover (MCD12Q1), NASA LP DAAC · 2024
Night-time lights, daily: VIIRS Black Marble (VNP46A2), NASA LAADS DAAC · 12 Oct 2026
Population density, 2020: Population: CIESIN, Columbia University, Gridded Population of the World v4.11 (2018), NASA SEDAC, CC BY 4.0 · static
Land surface temperature, day, 8-day composite: VIIRS NOAA-20 Level 3, 8-day, NASA LANCE · 14 Sep 2026
Enhanced vegetation index, rolling 8 days: MODIS Terra EVI, NASA LANCE · 13 Oct 2026

04What is recorded

Each source carries five facts.

Origin

Who produces the data and how.

Access terms

Licence, restrictions and permitted uses.

Quality

Coverage, resolution, update frequency and known errors.

Provenance

How the data reached the platform and what was changed.

Gaps

What is missing and how the gap is handled.

05Register

Every source the topic dossiers cite, with its terms.

Source	What it gives	Terms	Used in
CEOS Analysis Ready Data specifications and assessments	Processing requirements and product status	Public, CEOS terms	Spatial temporal evidence
CEOS Missions, Instruments and Measurements database	Characteristics of Earth observation missions	Public, CEOS terms	Earth observation sensors
CEOS Working Group on Calibration and Validation resources	Calibration and validation protocols and test sites	Public, CEOS terms	Spatial temporal evidence
Copernicus Emergency Management Service rapid mapping	Maps and vector data for activations	Free, Copernicus terms	Disaster monitoring
Copernicus Global Land Service	Vegetation, water and energy variables	Free, Copernicus terms	Eo in water and agriculture
Copernicus Sentinel missions (ESA and European Commission)	Radar, optical, ocean and atmospheric data	Free and open, Copernicus terms	Earth observation sensors
Digital Earth Africa and Digital Earth Australia	Analysis-ready data cubes and validated products	Open, CC BY 4.0	Spatial temporal evidence
EASA and aviation reports on GNSS interference	Recorded interference affecting aviation	Public, terms per authority	Space system resilience
ESA Space Environment Report and DISCOS database	Debris population, compliance and trends	Public report; DISCOS by registration (to check)	Space debris and sustainability
ESA Space Weather Service Network	European space weather services and data	Public, ESA terms	Space system resilience
FAO WaPOR	Water productivity and evapotranspiration data	Open, CC BY 4.0 (to check)	Eo in water and agriculture
FEWS NET remote sensing products	Rainfall and vegetation for food security analysis	Public domain where US government	Eo in water and agriculture
GEOGLAM Crop Monitor and Early Warning Crop Monitor	Monthly crop condition assessments	Public, GEOGLAM terms	Eo in water and agriculture
GNSS service performance reports (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou)	Service performance and notices	Public, terms per provider	Communications and navigation
Good practice guidance on accuracy assessment, such as Olofsson and others	Methods for estimating area and accuracy	Licence per publication	Spatial temporal evidence
Government studies of GNSS dependence, such as the UK and US economic impact studies	Sectors depending on positioning and timing	Public records, licence per government	Communications and navigation
Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (NASA)	Consistent surface reflectance from both missions	Open, NASA data policy	Spatial temporal evidence
IADC reports	Debris mitigation guidelines and studies	Public, IADC terms	Space debris and sustainability
ICAO and IMO documentation on navigation	Navigation requirements in aviation and shipping	Public, terms per organization	Communications and navigation
International Charter Space and Major Disasters activations	Activations and products	Public summaries, Charter terms	Disaster monitoring
ITU satellite network filings and Radio Regulations	Spectrum and orbit filings	Public, ITU terms	Communications and navigation
JRC Global Surface Water	Surface water occurrence and change	Free, licence to check	Eo in water and agriculture
Landsat archive (USGS and NASA)	Optical and thermal imagery since the 1970s	Public domain, US government data	Earth observation sensors
NASA Disasters Program	Products and data for disaster response	Open, NASA data policy	Disaster monitoring
NASA Earthdata	MODIS, VIIRS, GEDI and other mission data	Open, NASA data policy	Earth observation sensors
NASA Orbital Debris Program Office quarterly news	Debris environment updates	Public domain, US government	Space debris and sustainability
National mapping agency catalogues	Available datasets and licences	Licence per agency	Geospatial governance
National telecom regulator statistics	Satellite broadband adoption	Public records, licence per regulator	Communications and navigation
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center	Space weather alerts, scales and historical data	Public domain, US government	Space system resilience
OGC standards	Interoperability standards for geospatial data and services	Public, OGC terms	Geospatial governance
Sentinel Asia	Regional disaster imagery for the Asia-Pacific	Public, terms to check	Disaster monitoring
Space agency and operator anomaly reports	Documented failures and causes	Public records, terms per publisher	Space system resilience
Space-Track and CelesTrak	Orbital element sets for tracked objects	Space-Track by registration and terms; CelesTrak public	Space debris and sustainability
UN-GGIM global fundamental geospatial data themes	Themes considered fundamental for national data	Public, UN terms of use	Geospatial governance
UN-GGIM Integrated Geospatial Information Framework documents	Framework and implementation guide	Public, UN terms of use	Geospatial governance
UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal	Guidance and recommended practices for space-based disaster information	Public, UN terms of use	Disaster monitoring
UNOOSA Online Index of Objects Launched into Outer Space	Registration of launched objects	Public, UN terms of use	Space debris and sustainability
WMO OSCAR and CEOS mission databases	Mission status and observation dependencies	Public, WMO and CEOS terms	Space system resilience
WMO OSCAR database	Observing system capabilities and requirements	Public, WMO terms	Earth observation sensors
World Bank and FIG land administration studies	Cadastre and land registration status	Public, terms per publisher	Geospatial governance

06Known gaps

Where the Earth observation data record is thin.

Ground validation data in many regions.
Long consistent records across sensor generations.
High-resolution data with open terms.
Data on space-weather effects on ground systems.

07Status

How the register grows.

Sources are added to the register as they are reviewed. A source is listed only once its terms permit the use described.

08Key terms

Terms used on this page.

Each term as this page uses it. Where a standard-setting body defines the term, the wording follows that body.

Term	Definition
Provenance	Information about the entities, activities and people involved in producing a record, used to judge its quality and reliability, in the W3C PROV model.
FAIR principles	Guiding principles that make data findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable by people and machines.
Open licence	A licence that allows anyone to access, reuse and redistribute data, sometimes with attribution.
Data lineage	The traceable path of data from its origin through each transformation to its current form.

09Sources

Where this page's references lead.

The bodies and documents this page is read against. Status and editions change; each link goes to the issuing body.

10Questions

Questions and answers.

Can I suggest a data source?

Yes. Write to contact@therisk.global with the source, its owner and its terms.

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Space and Earth Observation

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