This monthly climatology data set contains a series of land surface parameters simulated from the Mosaic land-surface model (LSM) for Phase 2 of the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2). The data are in 1/8th degree grid spacing. The temporal resolution is monthly, ranging from January to December. The NLDAS-2 monthly climatology data are the monthly data averaged over the thirty years (1980 - 2009) of the NLDAS-2 monthly data. The file format is WMO GRIB-1. Brief description about the NLDAS-2 hourly and monthly Mosaic LSM data can be found from the GCMD DIFs for GES_DISC_NLDAS_MOS0125_H_V002 and GES_DISC_NLDAS_MOS0125_M_V002 at http://gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov/getdif.htm?GES_DISC_NLDAS_MOS0125_H_V002 and http://gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov/getdif.htm?GES_DISC_NLDAS_MOS0125_M_V002. Details about the NLDAS-2 configuration of the Mosaic LSM can be found in Xia et al. (2012). The NLDAS-2 Mosaic model monthly climatology data set contains thirty-seven fields. The data set applies a user-defined parameter table to indicate the contents and parameter number. The GRIBTAB file (http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/hydrology/grib_tabs/gribtab_NLDAS_MOS.002.txt) shows a list of parameters for this data set, along with their Product Definition Section (PDS) IDs and units. There are six vertical levels for the Soil Moisture (PDS 086) in the Mosaic GRIB files. For more information, please see the README Document at ftp://hydro1.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/s4pa/NLDAS/README.NLDAS2.pdf or the GrADS ctl file at ftp://hydro1.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/gds/NLDAS/NLDAS_MOS0125_MC.002.ctl.

Tags: earth science, atmosphere, atmospheric water vapor, atmospheric radiation, biosphere, vegetation, cryosphere, snow/ice, terrestrial hydrosphere, surface water, land surface, soils, surface radiative properties, precipitation, surface thermal properties, ngda, national geospatial data asset