{"@type": "dcat:Dataset", "accessLevel": "public", "bureauCode": ["026:00"], "contactPoint": {"@type": "vcard:Contact", "fn": "Earthdata Forum", "hasEmail": "mailto:earthdata-support@nasa.gov"}, "description": "The Global Monthly and Seasonal Urban and Land Backscatter Time Series, 1993-2020, is a multi-sensor, multi-decadal, data set of global microwave backscatter, for 1993 to 2020. It assembles data from C-band sensors onboard the European Remote Sensing Satellites (ERS-1 and ERS-2) covering 1993-2000, Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) onboard EUMETSAT satellites for 2007-2020, and the Ku-band sensor onboard the QuikSCAT satellite for 1999-2009, onto a common spatial grid (0.05 degree latitude /longitude resolution) and time step (both monthly and seasonal). Data are provided for all land (except high latitudes and islands), and for urban grid cells, based on a specific masking that removes grid cells with > 50% open water or < 20% built land. The all-land data allows users to choose and evaluate other urban masks. There is an offset between C-band and Ku-band backscatter from both vegetated and urban surfaces that is not spatially constant. There is a strong linear correlation (overall R-squared value = 0.69) between 2015 ASCAT urban backscatter and a continental-scale gridded product of building volume, across 8,450 urban grid cells (0.05 degree resolution) from large cities in Europe, China, and the United States.", "distribution": [{"@type": "dcat:Distribution", "conformsTo": "http://www.isotc211.org/2005/gmi", "description": "The metadata's original source.", "downloadURL": "https://cmr.earthdata.nasa.gov/search/concepts/C3540910600-ESDIS.iso19115", "format": "ISO", "mediaType": "text/xml", "title": "Original Metadata"}, {"@type": "dcat:Distribution", "downloadURL": "https://search.earthdata.nasa.gov/search/granules?p=C3540910600-ESDIS", "format": "BIN", "mediaType": "application/octet-stream"}, {"@type": "dcat:Distribution", "downloadURL": "https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/downloads/docs-repo/urbanspatial-urban-land-backscatter-time-series-1993-2020-readme.pdf", "format": "PDF", "mediaType": "application/pdf"}], "identifier": "10.7927/gr2e-dh86", "keyword": ["earth-science-atmospheric-radiation-atmosphere-reflectance", "earth-science-habitat-conversion-fragmentation-human-dimensions-urbanization-urban-sprawl", "earth-science-sustainability-human-dimensions"], "license": "https://www.usa.gov/government-works", "modified": "2026-06-23", "programCode": ["026:000"], "publisher": {"@type": "org:Organization", "name": "ESDIS"}, "spatial": "[\"CARTESIAN\", [{\"WestBoundingCoordinate\": -180, \"NorthBoundingCoordinate\": 90, \"EastBoundingCoordinate\": 180, \"SouthBoundingCoordinate\": -90}]]", "temporal": "1993-01-01/2020-12-31", "theme": ["Earth Science"], "title": "Global Monthly and Seasonal Urban and Land Backscatter Time Series, 1993-2020"}