Earthdata Search can display a thumbnail preview of a collection. This can be a screenshot of a PDF or a sample browse image. Including a preview image contributes to the overall design aesthetic of Earthdata Search and helps users better understand what is available within a collection.

Step-by-step guide

The following steps assume you are using NASA's Metadata Management Tool (MMT) to update your collection's metadata.

  1. Log into MMT.
  2. Search for your collection using collection search located in the top-right portion of the UI.
  3. In the resulting search result table, click on the desired collection.
  4. Click the "Edit Record" link.
  5. Click on "Related URLs"
  6. Add a new Related URL and choose the following options:
    1. URL Content Type: Visualization URL
    2. Type: Get Related Visualization
    3. Subtype: No selection needed
    4. URL: Enter direct link to the desired asset (e.g. PNG file)
  7. Click "Done".
  8. Click "Publish Draft".
  9. Return to Earthdata Search, refresh the page if necessary. Your collection should have a thumbnail preview.

As mentioned above, the steps outlined in this article require the use of the MMT to update your collection's metadata record. If you have not yet transitioned to using the MMT, the examples below are provided for which fields needs to be updated in DIF10, ECHO, and ISO 19115-2 (MENDS) formats.

DIF10
<Multimedia_Sample>
	<URL>https://example.url/file.png</URL>
	<Caption>Short Caption</Caption>
	<Description>Brief description of file</Description>
</Multimedia_Sample>
ECHO
<AssociatedBrowseImageUrls>
	<ProviderBrowseUrl>
		<URL>https://example.url/file.png</URL>
		<Description>Brief description of file</Description>
	</ProviderBrowseUrl>
</AssociatedBrowseImageUrls>

 

In the ISO example you can remove the XML comments

ISO 19115-2 MENDS/SMAP
...
    <gmd:identificationInfo>
        <gmd:MD_DataIdentification>
            <!-- Show a collection ICON on EDSC -->
            <gmd:graphicOverview>
                <gmd:MD_BrowseGraphic>
                    <gmd:fileName>
                        <gmx:FileName src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/SNice.svg/110px-SNice.svg.png">https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/SNice.svg/110px-SNice.svg.png</gmx:FileName>
                        <!--
                        The former is preferred, but this works.
                        <gco:CharacterString>https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/SNice.svg/110px-SNice.svg.png</gco:CharacterString>
                        -->
                   </gmd:fileName>
                    <!-- If URLContentType does not exist the default is VisualizationURL 
                         If Type: doesn't exist the default is GET RELATED VISUALIZATION
                         if Subtype: doesn't exist the default is nothing 
                         Currently Order is important. -->
                    <gmd:fileDescription>
                        <gco:CharacterString>Description: This is a test url to demonstrate how to get a collection ICON on to EDSC URLContentType: VisualizationURL Type: GET RELATED VISUALIZATION</gco:CharacterString>
                    </gmd:fileDescription>
                </gmd:MD_BrowseGraphic>
            </gmd:graphicOverview>

If the thumbnail is not present upon refresh, please use the feedback module (by clicking on the bullhorn icon at the top of the Earthdata Search UI) to alert the Earthdata Search team.