The NASA Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) staff is pleased to announce the release of the GCMD Keywords Version 13.0. Version 13.0 of the keywords consists of updates to the Location keywords and a revised platform keyword hierarchy. Please find below a summary of the changes  Please post any questions about this release to the GCMD Keyword Forum.

The keywords help facilitate the classification and discovery of Earth Science data by providing a rich vocabulary for characterizing the data. The GCMD keywords are used by hundreds of data providers worldwide for categorizing the ~33,000 records stored in the Common Metadata Repository. 

For more information about the keywords and how to access them, please visit the Keyword Landing Page. Questions about the keywords can be submitted to support@earthdata.nasa.gov or directed to Valerie Dixon at valerie.dixon@nasa.gov.

Location Keywords

Keyword Type Follow links to view Keyword details in the GCMD Keyword Viewer
Location(New) CONTINENT > EUROPE > NORTHERN EUROPE > GUERNSEY
Location(Updated) CONTINENT > AFRICA > SOUTHERN AFRICA > ESWATINI
Location(Updated) CONTINENT > ASIA > SOUTHEASTERN ASIA > MYANMAR
Location(Updated) CONTINENT > EUROPE > EASTERN EUROPE > CZECHIA
Location(Updated) CONTINENT > EUROPE > SOUTHERN EUROPE > NORTH MACEDONIA
Location(Updated) CONTINENT > EUROPE > SOUTHERN EUROPE > KOSOVO
Location(Deleted) CONTINENT > AFRICA > CENTRAL AFRICA > ZAIRE
Location(Deleted) CONTINENT > EUROPE > EASTERN EUROPE > BYELORUSSIAN SSR


Platform Keywords

Keyword Type Follow links to view Keyword details in the GCMD Keyword Viewer
PlatformR/V Point Sur
PlatformDropsondes
PlatformMOZART-4 > Model for Ozone and Related chemical Tracers, version 4
PlatformCMAQ > Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling System
PlatformKOMPSAT-5 > Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite - 5
PlatformSAOCOM > SAR Observation & Communications Satellite
PlatformSAOCOM-1A > SAR Observation & Communications Satellite-1A
PlatformSAOCOM-1B > SAR Observation & Communications Satellite-1B
PlatformCALET > CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET)
PlatformSLATS > Super Low Altitude Test Satellite (SLATS)
InstrumentSAOCOM-SAR > SAOCOM-Synthetic Aperture Radar
InstrumentSHIROP > Small and High Resolution Optical Sensor (SHIROP)

Platform Keywords Hierarchy

The platform keyword improvements were based on feedback from EOSDIS stakeholders during the ESDIS Standards Office (ESO) review (September-October 2021).

  • Added New Top Level Keyword: "Basis"
  • Added 6 new Keywords at the "Basis" level: 
    • Air-based Platforms
    • Land-based Platform
    • Living Organism-based Platforms
    • Other
    • Space-based Platforms
    • Water-based Platforms

  • Renamed and Expanded the "Category" Level

Note: Sub_Category keywords are only listed for Buoys, Fixed Platforms, Vessels, Uncrewed Vehicles. Please download the CSV file to view the full list of Platform Sub_Category Keywords)

  • Air-based Platforms

    • Balloons
    • Dropwindsondes
    • Jet
    • Propeller
    • Rotorcraft/Helicopter
    • Rockets
    • Sounding Rockets
    • Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles
  • Land-based Platform
    • Field Sites
    • Permanent Land Sites
    • Vehicles
  • Living Organism-based Platforms
    • Living Organism
  • Other
    • Charts
    • Maps
    • Models
    • Photographs
    • Physical Models
    • Reports
  • Space-based Platforms
    • Earth Observation Satellites
    • Interplanetary Spacecraft
    • Navigation Satellites
    • Solar/Space Observation Satellites
    • Space Stations/Crewed Spacecraft
  • Water-based Platforms
    • Buoys
      • Moored
      • Unmoored
    • Fixed Platforms
      • SubSurface
      • Surface
    • Vessels
      • SubSurface
      • Surface
    • Uncrewed Vehicles
      • SubSurface
      • Surface
  • Renamed "Series_Entity" Level to "Sub_Category"
  • Modified some "Sub_Category" (formerly "Series_Entity") keywords for constancy.
    • Example
      • Old: DMSP (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program)
      • New: Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)
  • Modified KMS RESTful CSV Output for new column headers

    • Old:  Category | Series_Entity | Short_Name | Long_Name | UUID

    • New: Basis | Category | Sub_Category | Short_Name | Long_Name | UUID
  • Download a draft of the Platform Keywords (CSV)
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