Frequently Asked Questions
Questions we often get asked.
Are SeaBASS data available for public use?
Following the NASA Earth Science Data and Information Policy, all SeaBASS data are publicly available for research, commercial, and educational use. Please refer to the question below for additional details and guidance regarding publication rights for original data contributors.
Where do I direct questions about SeaBASS data?
We are happy to answer your questions through email or our forum on topics such as: NOMAD and the SeaBASS Web pages, data archive, search engines, and submitter accounts
Questions about geophysical data, data files, or data documentation should be forwarded to the data contributor(s) found within the metadata headers of individual data files.
What happens when data are resubmitted?
Older versions of the data are removed from the database and data archive. These data are stored offline by the SeaBASS Administrator and are not made available to the community. The new (best quality) data are ingested into the database and data archive. Additional documentation is put online when available, and the Administrator encourages that comments regarding the updates be included in each new data file.
SeaBASS administrators add a special metadata header to data files called "/received". This field contains the date that data or metadata values were most recently modified (in a way that would affect their use.)
What data are used in the in situ-to-satellite match-up analysis?
A description of the NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group validation system and related publication are available by clicking on the Validation search type on the
data search page. Results for SeaWiFS, MODIS-Aqua, MODIS-Terra, OCTS, and several other sensors have been posted online.
May I use SeaBASS data in a publication of my own?
Yes; access to the data archived within SeaBASS follows the NASA Earth Science Data and Information Policy. See also the
SeaBASS Access Policy web page.
Several ethics suggestions are strongly recommended when using datasets, even where they are not formal NASA policy. All users incorporating SeaBASS data into their research should acknowledge NASA, SeaBASS, and the original data contributor(s). Users of data are encouraged to discuss relevant findings with the data provider(s) early in their research. Users are encouraged to give all data providers a copy of any manuscript resulting from use of their data prior to the initial submission for publication, thus giving the data provider an opportunity to comment on the paper. For three years following data collection, it is recommended that the provider(s) shall have the right to be named as co-author(s).
How do I cite the SeaBASS, NOMAD, SeaBAM, and match-up datasets?
SeaBASS should be cited using either of the following:
P.J. Werdell, S.W. Bailey, G.S. Fargion, C. Pietras, K.D. Knobelspiesse, G.C. Feldman, and C.R. McClain, "Unique data repository facilitates ocean color satellite validation", EOS Trans. AGU 84 , 38, 377 (2003).
P.J. Werdell and S.W. Bailey, The SeaWiFS Bio-optical Archive and Storage System (SeaBASS): Current architecture and implementation, NASA Tech. Memo. 2002-211617 , G.S. Fargion and C.R. McClain, Eds., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, 45 pp. (2002).
NOMAD should be cited using:
P.J. Werdell and S.W. Bailey, "An improved in situ data set for bio-optical algorithm development and ocean color satellite validation", Rem. Sens. Environ. 98 , 122-140 (2005).
SeaBAM should be cited using:
J.E. O'Reilly, S. Maritorena, B.G. Mitchell, D.A. Siegel, K.L. Carder, S.A. Garver, M. Kahru, and C. McClain, "Ocean color chlorophyll algorithms for SeaWiFS", J. Geophys. Res. 103 , 24,937-24,953 (1998).
The satellite validation results should be cited using:
S.W. Bailey and P.J. Werdell, "A multi-sensor approach for the on-orbit validation of ocean color satellite data products", Rem. Sens. Environ. 102 , 12-23 (2006).
What happened to SeaBAM?
SeaBAM is a historical algorithm development dataset. It has long been outdated and was replaced by the
NOMAD dataset.
SeaBAM is still available for historical purposes upon request, but SeaBAM should not be used.