The
CGIAR-CSI GeoPortal provides the CRU TS
2.1 Global Climate Dataset easy to use
for GIS analyses. These data have been
produced by the Climatic
Research Unit (CRU) of University
of East Anglia (UEA), and reformatted
by the International Water Managment Institute
(IWMI) to provide easy access and
use in ArcGIS Grid format. Many thanks
to Antonio Trabucco for reformatting the
data, geoprocessing the dataset for distribution
on this site, and providing the impetus
for this effort.
The
CGIAR-CSI CRU Dataset can be searched
and downloaded via browser for 5 x 5 degrees tiles, Globally (New)
and by Continents.
It is also available clipped to the Water
for Food Challenge Program (CPWF) Priority Basin boundaries. In alternative
to browser access, this dataset can be
accessed directly from the FTP
Site. A detailed explanation of the
formatting, methods, data structure and
data dictionary is given on the CGIAR-CSI
CRU Data Structure Page.
The
CRU TS 2.1 Global Climate Dataset is comprised
of 1224 monthly time-series of climate variables,
for the period 1901-2002, covering the global
land surface, excluding Antarctica, at 0.5
degrees resolution. The nine climate variables
available through this dataset are: daily
mean, minimum and maximum temperature, diurnal
temperature range, precipitation, wet day
frequency, frost day frequency, vapor pressure
and cloud cover. The original CRU TS 2.1
dataset in ascii comma delimited format
is available by ftp. The UEA-CRU
TS 2.1 Data Request Page gives instruction
on how to obtain the CRU original dataset.
The
climate grids have been recalculated in
the version 2.1 for the 1901-2002 period,
following a complete revision of the underlying
station databases and using an improved
method. CRU expects to update this dataset
soon, with data up until 2005. CGIAR-CSI
will provide an update when this becomes
available.
It
is strongly recommended that users read
the associated
articles to the development and construction
of the CRU dataset. The issues involved
in using CRU TS 2.1 for time-series analysis
are addressed more explicitly and fully
at UEA-CRU
TS 2.0 and Time-Series Analysis: Advice
for Users. The authors of the CRU
dataset recommend that all users who intend
to examine climate change using this data-set
should consider the issues carefully before
beginning their work.
The
creator of this data set (Dr. T. D. Mitchell)
retains full ownership rights over it. The
data set may be freely used for non-commercial
scientific and educational purposes, provided
it is described as CRU TS 2.1 and attributed
to:
The
CGIAR-CSI has produced this website with
the support of the International
Water Management Institute (IWMI) and
Dr. Robert Zomer. Special thanks to Anjitha
Senarath for database programming and website
development. Database search, data display,
and download programming was originally
implemented by GENESIIS Software (Colombo).
Many thanks to CGNET for hosting the database
and tech support. If you find this data
useful, please let us know at csi@cgiar.org.
Funding
for the CGIAR-CSI GeoPortal has been provided
by the CGIAR ICT-KM Program: ICT for Tomorrow's Science
Initiative.
