Global Historical Climatology Network
NDP-041
The Global Historical Climatology Network: Long-Term Monthly Temperature, Precipitation, Sea Level Pressure, and Station Pressure Data (1992)
R. S. Vose, R. L. Schmoyer, P. M. Steurer, T. C. Peterson, R. Heim, T. R. Karl, and J. K. Eischeid (contributors)

This NDP contains monthly temperature, precipitation, sea-level pressure, and station-pressure data for thousands of meteorological stations worldwide. The database was compiled from pre-existing national, regional, and global collections of data as part of the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) project. It contains data from roughly 6000 temperature stations, 7500 precipitation stations, 1800 sea level pressure stations, and 1800 station pressure stations. Each station has at least 10 years of data, 40% have more than 50 years of data. Spatial coverage is good over most of the globe, particularly for the United States and Europe. Data gaps are evident over the Amazon rainforest, the Sahara desert, Greenland, and Antarctica.

A detailed analysis has revealed that most stations (95% for temperature and precipitation; 75% for pressure) contain high-quality data. However, gross data-processing errors (e.g., keypunch problems) and discontinuous inhomogeneities (e.g., station relocations and instrumentation changes) do characterize a small number of stations. All major data processing problems have been flagged (or corrected, when possible). Similarly, all major inhomogeneities have been flagged, although no homogeneity corrections were applied.

The NDP consists of a written report, two magnetic tapes of data, and FORTRAN and SASū data retrieval codes. Because of the size of the data base, the NDP is not available on floppy diskette.

U.S. Historical Climatology Network data
NDP-042 (WDC-A)
United States Historical Climatology Network Daily Temperature and Precipitation Data (1991)
P. Y. Hughes, E. H. Mason, T. R. Karl, and W. A. Brower (contributors)

This package consists of a data base containing daily observations of maximum and minimum temperature and precipitation amounts at 138 U.S. stations. These stations are a specially chosen subset of the 1219-station United States Historical Climatology Network (HCN), which was compiled by the National Climatic Data Center (Asheville, North Carolina) and is contained in NDP-019/R1. The daily data network (referred to as the HCN/D) consists of stations considered to be the best of those in the HCN, selected to provide effective coverage of the contiguous U.S. after considering the temporal homogeneity of each station's observing times, instrument positioning, and surroundings. The data for each station extend through 1987, and most station records are complete for at least 80 years. The daily resolution of these data lends maximum flexibility for studies attempting to detect and monitor long-term climatic changes on a regional scale. The data are contained in seven files (one station-inventory file, one station-history file, and five temperature and precipitation data files). The files range in size from 10 kB to approximately 31 MB.

U.S. East Coast hazards data
NDP-043A
A Coastal Hazards Data Base for the U.S. East Coast (1992)
V. M. Gornitz, and T. W. White (contributors)

This NDP presents data on coastal geology, geomorphology, elevation, erosion, wave heights, tide ranges, and sea levels for the U.S. east coast. These data may be used either by nongeographic database management systems or by raster or vector geographic information systems (GISs). The database integrates severaL data sets (originally obtained as point, line, and polygon data) for the east coast into 0.25o latitude by 0.25o longitude grid cells. Each coastal grid cell contains 28 data variables.

This NDP may be used to predict the response of coastal zones on the U.S. east coast to changes in local or global sea levels. Information on the geologic, geomorphic, and erosional states of the coast provides the basic data needed to predict the behavior of the coastal zone into the far future. Thus, these data may be seen as providing a baseline for the calculation of the relative vulnerability of the east coast to projected sea-level rises. This data will also be useful to research, educational, governmental, and private organizations interested in the present and future vulnerability of coastal areas to erosion and inundation.

The data are in 13 files, the largest of which is 1.42 MB; the entire data base takes up 3.29 MB, excluding the ARC/INFO TM files.

U.S. Gulf Coast hazards data
NDP-043B
A Coastal Hazards Data Base for the U.S. Gulf Coast (1993)
V. M. Gornitz, and T. W. White (contributors)

This document describes the contents of a digital data base that may be used to identify coastlines along the U.S. Gulf Coast at risk to sea-level rise. The data base integrates point, line, and polygon data for the U.S. Gulf Coast into 0.25o latitude by 0.25o longitude grid cells and into 1:2,000,000 digitized line segments that can be used by raster or vector geographic information systems (GIS) as well as by non-GIS data base systems. Each coastal grid cell and line segment contains data on elevations, geology, geomorphology, sea-level trends, shoreline displacement (erosion/accretion), tidal ranges, and wave heights.

To allow for the identification of coastlines at risk from sea level rise, 7 of the 22 original data variables in this data base were classified by vulnerability and used to create 7 relative risk variables. These relative risk variables range in value from 1 to 5 and may be used to calculate a coastal vulnerability index for each grid cell and/or line segment. The data for these 29 variables (i.e., the 22 original variables and 7 risk variables) have been placed into the following data formats:

1. Gridded polygon data for the 22 original data variables. Data include elevations,geology, geomorphology, sea-level trends, shoreline displacement (erosion/accretion), tidal ranges, and wave heights.

2. Gridded polygon data for the seven classified risk variables. The risk variables areclassified versions of mean coastal elevation, geology, geomorphology, local subsidence trend, mean shoreline displacement, maximum tidal range, and maximum significant wave height.

3. 1:2,000,000 line segment data containing the 29 data variables (i.e., the 22 original datavariables and the 7 classified risk variables).

4. Supplemental point data for the stations used in calculating the sea-level trend and tidalrange data sets.

5. Supplemental line segment data containing a 1:2,000,000 digitized coastline of the U.S.Gulf Coast as defined by this numeric data package (NDP).

These data are available as an NDP from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC). The NDP consists of this document and machine-readable files available on 9-track magnetic tape, IBM-formatted floppy diskettes, and CD-ROM and through Internet by means of the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) from CDIAC's anonymous FTP area. This document provides sample listings of the data and detailed descriptions of the file formats; offers FORTRAN and SAS TM retrieval program listings; describes the methods used in calculating each variable; discusses the sources, restrictions, and limitations of the data; provides five ARC/INFO TM export coverages and flat ASCII data files containing these data; and provides reprints of pertinent literature.

Shipboard CO2 and NO2 observations
NDP-044
Surface Water and Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide Observations by Shipboard Automated Gas Chroma-tography: Results from Expeditions Between 1977 and 1990 (1992)
R. F. Weiss, F. A. Van Woy, and P. K. Salameh (contributors)

This NDP presents the results of surface water and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) measurements carried out on shipboard by gas chromatography from 1977 to 1990. These data include results from 41 legs of 11 ocean surveys conducted in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern oceans, as well as the Mediterranean and Red seas.

The measurements were made by an automated high-precision shipboard gas chromatographic system that measures CO2 by flame ionization after quantitative reduction to methane in a stream of hydrogen. Nitrous oxide is measured by a separate electron-capture detector. The chromatographic system measures 196 dry-gas samples a day, divided equally among the atmosphere, gas equilibrated with surface water, a low-range gas standard, and a high-range gas standard.

These data constitute one of the most extensive records available of CO2 and, particularly, N2O in marine air and surface seawater. The data will be valuable in modeling the ocean's role in the global cycles of carbon and nitrogen, in studies of ocean-atmosphere dynamics, and in evaluations of other methods for determining pCO2. The records include the names of the expedition and research vessel, sample date and time, latitude and longitude, sample type (i.e., marine air or surface seawater), barometric pressure, surface water temperture, and dry-gas mole fractions of CO2 and N2O. The data are in 82 files totaling 7.1 MB.

South and Southeast Asia historic land use
NDP-046
Historic Land Use and Carbon Estimates for South and Southeast Asia: 1880-1980 (1993)
J. F. Richards, and E. P. Flint (contributors)

This digital data base contains estimates of land use change and the carbon content of vegetation for South and Southeast Asia for the years 1880, 1920, 1950, 1970, and 1980. These data were originally collected for climate modelers so they could reduce the uncertainty associated with the magnitude and time course of historical land use change and of carbon release. For this data base, South and Southeast Asia is defined as encompassing nearly 8 * 10 6 km2 of the earth's land surface and includes the countries of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Kampuchea (Cambodia), Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

The most important change in land use over this 100-year period was the conversion of 107 * 10 6 ha of forest/woodland to categories with lower biomass. Land thus transformed accounted for 13.5% of the total area of the study region. The estimated total carbon content of live vegetation in South and Southeast Asia has dropped progressively, from 59 * 10 9 Mg in 1880 to 27 * 10 9 Mg in 1980. Throughout the study period, the carbon stock in forests was greater than the carbon content in all other categories combined, although its share of the total declined progressively from 81% in 1880 to 73% in 1980.

The data base was developed in Lotus 1-2-3 TM by using a sequential bookkeeping model. The source data were obtained at the local and regional level for each country from official agricultural and economic statistics (e.g., the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization); historical geographic and demographic texts, reports, and articles; and any other available source. Because of boundary changes through time and disparities between the validity, availability, and scale of the data for each country, the data were aggregated into 94 ecological zones. The resulting data base contains land use and carbon information for 94 ecological zones and national totals for 13 countries.

The data base consists of 90 Lotus 1-2-3 TM files, 3 ARC/INFO TM export files, and 5 ASCII data files. In addition to these, a descriptive file that explains the contents and format of each data file and 4 FORTRAN and SAS TM retrieval programs for use with the ASCII data files are included.