C Acronyms and Initialisms
ACSYS
Arctic Climate System
ADEOS
Advanced Earth Observing Satellite
AIRS
Atmospheric Infrared Sounder
AMSR
Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer
AMSU
Advanced Microwave Sounder Unit
ARM
Atmospheric Measurement Program
ASOS
Automated Surface Observing System
ATBD
Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document
AVHRR
Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
BAA
Broad Agency Announcement
BS
Bootstrap sea ice algorithm
BUFR
Binary Universal Form for the Representation of meteorological data
CCRI
Climate Change Research Initiative
CCSP
Climate Change Science Plan
CDAS
climate data assimilation system
CDSC
Climate Data Science Council
CDST
Climate Data Science Team
CDC
Climate Diagnostic Center
CDR
climate data record
CEOS
Committee on Earth Observing Satellites
CLASS
Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System
CliC
Cryosphere and Climate
CLIVAR
Climate Variability and Predictability
COMET
Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training Outreach Program
CSTAR
Collaborative Science, Technology, and Applied Research Program
CZCS
Coastal Zone Color Scanner
DAAC
Distributed Active Archive Center
DLESE
Digital Library for Earth Science Education
DLT
Digital Linear Tape
DMSP
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
DOD
U.S. Department of Defense
DOE
U.S. Department of Energy
ECHO
EOSDIS Clearing House
ECMWF
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
ECS
EOSDIS Core System
EDR
environmental data record
EOS
Earth Observing System
EOSDIS
EOS Data and Information System
ERBE
Earth Radiation Budget Experiment
ESA
European Space Agency
ESMR
Electrically Scanning Microwave Radiometer
EUMETSAT
European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
FCDR
fundamental climate data record
GACP
Global Aerosol Climatology Project
GCM
General Circulation Model
GCOS
Global Climate Observing System
GEO
Group on Earth Observations
GEWEX
Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment
GIS
Geographic Information System
GMS
Geostationary Meteorological Satellite
GOES
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites
GPCP
Global Precipitation Climatology Project
GPCC
Global Precipitation Climatology Center
GSFC
Goddard Space Flight Center
GVaP
Global Water Vapor Project
HIRS
High Infrared Sounder
HSB
Humidity Sounder for Brazil
ICSU
International Council of Scientific Unions
IDPS
Integrated Data Processing System
IGOS
International Global Observing Strategy partnership
IMS
Interactive Multisensor Snowmap
IOC
International Oceanographic Commission
IOOS
Integrated Ocean Observing System
IPO
NPOESS Integrated Program Office
IR
infrared
IRI
International Research Institute
ISCCP
International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project
ISLSCP
International Satellite Land-Surface Climatology Project
ISO
International Organization for Standardization
JAXA
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
LTA
long-term archive
MOBY
Marine Optical Buoy
MODIS
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
MSU
Microwave Sounder Unit
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NCAR
National Center for Atmospheric Research
NCDC
National Climatic Data Center
NCEP
National Center for Environmental Prediction
NCTP
NOAA Climate Transition Program
NDVI
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index
NESDIS
National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
NEXRAD
Next Generation Radar
NIDIS
National Integrated Drought Information System
NGDC
National Geophysical Data Center
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NODC
National Ocean Data Center
NOPP
National Ocean Partnership Program
NORLC
National Ocean Research Leadership Council
NPOESS
National Polar-Orbiting Operational Satellite System
NPP
NPOESS Preparatory Project
NRC
National Research Council
NSDL
National Science Digital Library
NSF
National Science Foundation
NSIDC
National Snow and Ice Data Center
NT
NASA Team sea ice algorithm
NT2
NASA Team sea ice algorithm 2
NWP
Numerical Weather Prediction
NWS
National Weather Service
OAR
Office of Atmospheric Research
OCTS
Ocean Color and Temperature Sensor
OFCM
Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research
OLR
Outgoing Long-wave Radiation
ORAP
Ocean Research Advisory Panel
OSC
Orbital Sciences Corporation
OSDPD
Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution
PODAG
Polar DAAC User Working Group
POES
Polar Operational Environmental Satellite
PPDS
pilot planetary data system
RFI
Request for Information
RSS
Remote Sensing Systems
SBSTA
Subsidiary Board on Scientific and Technical Assessment
SDR
sensor data record
SeaWiFS
Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor
SIMBIOS
Satellite Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Ocean Science
SIRS
A Space Infra-Red Sounder
SMMR
Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer
SPARC
Stratospheric Processes and Their Role in Climate
SR
Scanning Radiometer
SSM/I
Special Sensor Microwave/Imager
SST
sea surface temperature
SSU
stratospheric sounder unit
TCDR
thematic climate data record
THREDDS
Thematic Real-time Environmental Distributed Data Services
TIROS N
Television InfraRed Operational Satellite Next-generation
TOA
Top of Atmosphere
TOVS
TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder
TRMM
Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission
T2
Global average temperature for the lower troposphere
UAH
University of Alabama, Huntsville
UNFCC
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
USGCRP
U.S. Global Change Research Program
VIIRS
Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite
VTPR
Vertical Temperature Profile Radiometer
WCRP
World Climate Research Programme
WDC
World Data Center
WGA
Western Governors Association
WMO
World Meteorological Organization