LVIS Data Agreement



NOTE: by downloading LVIS data you agree to the LVIS Data Policy v1.2 as stated below:


While substantial efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of data and documentation, complete accuracy of data sets can not be guaranteed. All data are made available "as is". The LVIS team can not assume responsibility for damages resulting from mis-use or mis-interpretation of datasets or from errors or omissions that may exist in the data. Data users are welcome to collaborate with the LVIS team, as this may minimize the potential for misinterpretation of the data.

In order to develop an active community and ensure the flow of ideas between interested parties, the LVIS team makes the following suggestions of individuals who download LVIS data:

  1. On projects that are integrally dependent on LVIS data, you have the option to request collaboration and/or co-authorship from the LVIS team. (NOTE: This is in no way binding. You are free to use the data on your own. You are not expected or required to contact or work with us in any way. This is simply a suggestion.)
  2. Most datasets are now available from the NSIDC DAAC and can be acknowledged with the appropriate DOI. For data sets not yet hosted in a DAAC, please acknowledge the > source of the data set as the LVIS team/project (see Data citations page)
  3. Consider notifying (a simple email will suffice) the LVIS Principal Investigator when any derivative work based on or derived from the data and/or documentation is distributed or presented. (We always appreciate when our data is used and helps result in scientific publications.)
  4. When derivatives of the LVIS data are distributed in any way, notify subsequent users that such derivative work is not the original LVIS data and/or documentation distributed on the LVIS web site
  5. Do not redistribute original data and documentation yourself, instead please direct individuals to https://lvis.gsfc.nasa.gov. It is important that we have the ability to contact users of LVIS data so that we can notify them when we upload new data sets and/or correct mistakes in the existing data sets.
  6. If you would like to share your work with us, we would greatly appreciate it if you would notify us and/or send a reprint of any publications resulting from the use of the data and/or documentation.
Our address is:

J. Bryan Blair
NASA/GSFC, Code 61A
Laser Remote Sensing Laboratory
301-614-6741, FAX 301-614-6744
Bryan Blair