# NASA Global Satellite and Model Data Products and Services for Tropical Meteorology and Climatology
## 3 Data Services  
### Dataset and Information Search  
Given so many datasets available for users (see Table 3), a question then arises, how can users find these datasets easily and quickly? A state-of-the-art Web-based interface has been developed by GES DISC to facilitate dataset and information search and discovery [9]. Figure 1 shows the Web search interface. In addition to a dataset search, users can search other information including data collections (default), data documents, alerts, data in action, data releases, FAQs, glossary, how-to's, image gallery, news, publications, service release, and tools [44]. Data collection search allows searching datasets using the exact name or keyword (e.g., precipitation, GPM, TRMM). Search suggestions are provided in the search box to facilitate the search process. Users can select temporal and spatial ranges or browse datasets by categories such as subject, measurement, source, processing level, etc. Search results consist of a list of datasets  
Figure 1: The GES DISC landing page, providing a search box for dataset and information (e.g., documents, FAQs, how-to’s, alerts). Filtering and sorting capabilities are provided. The newly released dashboard can keep your search history and favorite dataset links. The landing page also provides news and additional shortcuts for data services and projects. with links to their landing pages and sample browse images. A filtering capability is provided so that search results can be refined by subject, measurement, source, processing level, etc. Users can also sort the results by source, version, temporal and spatial resolutions, processing level, begin and end dates. A dataset landing page contains a brief summary, data citation, documentation, and data access where users can find available data services for this dataset such as HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), OPeNDAP (Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol), and Giovanni. Data downloading services are available for all datasets, while subsetting services are also provided for most datasets. For a research project (e.g., investigating an MJO event), users often need multiple datasets (e.g., precipitation, winds, temperature). However, datasets are not grouped together based on a research area for distribution and one has to find each individual dataset from the respective archival collection, which can be a time consuming and sometimes difficult task if the user is not familiar with the dataset. To help the users effectively finding the datasets they want or need, a prototype called Datalist that contains datasets or variables recommended by the supporting staff at GES DISC has been originally developed for hurricanes [45; 46] and expanded for tropical meteorology and climatology. Similar prototypes for events such as floods, droughts, and wind energy are also being considered. With the hurricane Datalist, users can discover related datasets and information in one place as well as data subsetting and downloading. Nonetheless, the Datalist concept provides convenience to users who want to search and access multiple datasets. The newly released \"My Dashboard\" (seen at the top right corner in Figure 1) allows users keeping a search history and my favorites in their registered accounts [9]. Users can bookmark their favorite datasets for convenience. With the saved search history, users do not need to remember how datasets they want are searched and filtered. Such a dataset download history service is a feature similar to the purchase history service found in shopping websites. In addition, these personal links can also be tagged and shared with other users when this service is implemented in the future. Data documents are searchable, as are the datasets and service-related information such as alerts, data in action, news, FAQs, how-to's and publications. Short articles (e.g., data in action, news) use events to describe the use of a single or multiple datasets from one or more NASA data centers.