remote sensing Review Satellite Climate Data Records: Development, Applications, and Societal Benefits Wenze Yang 1,*,†, Viju O. John 2,†, Xuepeng Zhao 3,†, Hui Lu 4,5,† and Kenneth R. Knapp 3,† 1 Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites-Maryland, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA 2 EUMETSAT, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany;
[email protected] 3 National Centers for Environmental Information, Asheville, NC 28801, USA;
[email protected] (X.Z.);
[email protected] (K.R.K.) 4 Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, Center for Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
[email protected] 5 Joint Center for Global Change Studies, Beijing 100875, China * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +1-301-405-6568; Fax: +1-301-405-8468 † These authors contributed equally to this work. Academic Editors: Jiaguo Qi, Richard Müller and Prasad S. Thenkabail Received: 15 February 2016; Accepted: 6 April 2016; Published: 15 April 2016 Abstract: This review paper discusses how to develop, produce, sustain, and serve satellite climate data records (CDRs) in the context of transitioning research to operation (R2O). Requirements and critical procedures of producing various CDRs, including Fundamental CDRs (FCDRs), Thematic CDRs (TCDRs), Interim CDRs (ICDRs), and climate information records (CIRs) are discussed in detail, including radiance/reflectance and the essential climate variables (ECVs) of land, ocean, and atmosphere. Major international CDR initiatives, programs, and projects are summarized. Societal benefits of CDRs in various user sectors, including Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Energy, Heath, Water, Transportation, and Tourism are also briefly discussed. The challenges and opportunities for CDR development, production and service are also addressed.