Web service based hydrologic data distribution system

Hydrological modeling has been undergoing an exciting phase of transformation driven by rapid advances in remote sensing technology and computing power. In particular, NASA’s Earth Observation System (EOS) suite of satellite platforms and sensors has made available a variety of biophysical measurements that have the potential to immensely advance the science and application of hydrology. These sensors use a variety of remote sensing technologies to make measurements of hydrological variables at several scales of spatial and temporal resolution. These rich datasets are available in a variety of data formats with different data access techniques, data quality issues and temporal and spatial extents that may be intimidating to the end user. As more and more watersheds become gauged and satellite instruments get deployed, it becomes important to make data availability and usage as streamlined as possible for potential users. We propose a Web Services based data distribution system to deliver remote sensing data to the hydrologic community. The use of Web Services for data delivery will permit hydrologists to directly integrate data sources into their hydrological models with minimal effort.