GLIMS: Global Land Ice Measurements from Space

Monitoring the World's Changing Glaciers

GLIMS Tables

Ancillary_data
Area_histogram
Area_histogram_data
Band
Country
Debris_cover_valids
Debris_distribution_valids
Dominant_mass_source_valids
Form_valids
Frontal_characteristics_valids
Glacier_ancillary_info
Glacier_dynamic
Glacier_image_info
Glacier_line
Glacier_map_info
Glacier_polygons
Glacier_reference
Glacier_static
Glims_aster_footprints
Image
Image_band
Instrument
Lon_char_valids
Map_metadata
Package_info
People
Point_measurement
Primary_classification_valids
Rc_people
Reference_doc_code
Reference_document
Reference_point
Regional_centers
Segment
Spatial_ref_sys
Starpolys
Submission_analyst
Submission_info
Tiepoint_region
Tongue_activity_valids
Vector
Vector_set

NOTE: The GLIMS Glacier Database is powered by PostgreSQL/PostGIS

Data Dictionary

ancillary_data Miscellaneous glacier information
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
anc_data_id				ID of the ancillary data
comment				Text field for additional comments	comment
data_type				Data type of the data	data_type
location				Location of the data. This can be a URL.	location
size				Number of bytes	size

area_histogram Historgram metadata table storing reference information for glacier historgrams
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
analysis_id	integer		X	Glacier to which this relates (unique id for each anaalysis)	anlys_id
area_histogram_id	integer		X	The ID of an area histogram	areahistid
bin_width	numeric		X	Width (in m) of elevation bin	bin_width
registration	character		X	Flag, indicates whether data are bin-centered (C), lower (L),	regist

area_histogram_data Stores glacier historgram data (elevation bin and assoc. values)
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
area	real		X	Glacier Area (km2), as provided by the GLIMS analyst	area	Glaciers
area_histogram_id	integer		X	The ID of an area histogram	areahistid
elevation	real		X		elev	glaciers

band
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
band_id					band_id
band_name					band_name
ifov_x					ifov_x
ifov_y					ifov_y
instrument_id				Local ID of the Instrument	inst_id
num_bits					num_bits
num_lines					num_lines
num_samples					num_samples
passband_high					passband_high
passband_low					passband_low
passband_unit					passband_unit
polarization					polarization
sample_interval_x
sample_interval_y
scan_type					scan_type

country Table storing country outlines
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
borders	USER-DEFINED			Country border polygons	borders
cntry_name	character varying			Name of the Country	cntry_name
color_map	character varying				color_map
country_code2	character		X		ctry_code2
country_code3	character				ctry_code3
curr_code	character varying				curr_code
curr_type	character varying				curr_type
gid	integer		X		gid
landlocked	boolean				landlocked
pop_cntry	bigint				pop_cntry
sovereign	character varying				sovereign
sqkm_cntry	double precision				sqkm_cntry
sqmi_cntry	double precision				sqmi_cntry

debris_cover_valids
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
debris_cover
description					descript

debris_distribution_valids
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
debris_distribution					deb_dist
description					descript

dominant_mass_source_valids
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
description	text				descript
dominant_mass_source	integer		X	Primary source of accumulation/source	dom_source

form_valids
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
description	text				descript
form	integer		X		form

frontal_characteristics_valids
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
description	text				descript
frontal_characteristics	integer		X	See valids	frnt_char

glacier_ancillary_info
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
analysis_id				Glacier to which this relates (unique id for each anaalysis)	anlys_id
anc_data_id				ID of the ancillary data

glacier_dynamic Information regarding glacier analyses that changes over time
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
abzone_area	real			The total area of the ablation zone (below the ela)	abarea_km2	Glaciers
analysis_id	integer		X	Glacier to which this relates (unique id for each anaalysis)	anlys_id
analysis_timestamp	timestamp without time zone		X	The time at which the analysis was performed	anlys_time	Glaciers
area	real			Glacier Area (km2), as provided by the GLIMS analyst	area	Glaciers
avg_slope	real			The average slope of the glacier's surface	avg_slope
basin_code	character				bas_code
completeness_level				The level of completents of the glacier anaylsis (in case its not complete)	comp_lev
contact_id	integer		X	GLIMS Participant ID	cont_id
db_calculated_area	real			Area of all glac_bound polygons minus all intrnl_rock polygons, calculated within the GLIMS database (PostGIS)	db_area
debris_cover	smallint
dominant_mass_source	smallint			Primary source of accumulation/source	dom_source
ela	real				ela	glaciers
ela_desc	text				ela_desc	glaciers
form	smallint				form
frontal_characteristics	smallint			See valids	frnt_char
frontal_characteristics2	smallint				frnt_char2
glacier_id	character varying		X	Unique Glacier ID number, generated from lon/lat of glacier.	glac_id
length	real				length	glaciers
longitudinal_characteristics	smallint				long_char
max_elev	integer				max_elev
mean_elev	integer			Average Glacier Elevation	mean_elev
min_elev	integer			Minimum Glacier Elevation	min_elev
moraine_code1	smallint				moraine_code1
moraine_code2	smallint				moraine_code2
num_basins	integer				num_basins
orientation	numeric			Orientation (compass direction) of the glacier as a whole	orientation
orientation_ablat	numeric			Compass direction of the glacier in the ablation area
orientation_accum	numeric			Compass direction of the glacier in the accumulation area
package_id				ID of package which provides info about this record.	package_id
primary_classification	smallint				prime_class
primary_classification2	smallint				prime_class2
rc_id	integer		X	ID of corresponding Regional Center	rc_id
record_status	character varying			Status of this record, e.g. retired, hidden, current, ok, etc.	rec_status
rgiid	character			Unique ID assigned by RGI group	rgiid	glaciers
snowline_elev	real				snowln_elev	glaciers
source_timestamp	timestamp without time zone		X		src_timestmp
speed	real				speed
thickness_m	real			Representative thickness of the glacier, in meters	thickness
three_d_desc	text				3d_desc
tongue_activity	smallint				tongue_act
tongue_activity2	smallint				tongue_act2
width	real				width

glacier_image_info Intersection table for glacier dynamic and the image table
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
analysis_id	integer		X	Glacier to which this relates (unique id for each anaalysis)	anlys_id
image_id	integer		X		image_id	images

glacier_line Stores metadata on GLIMS glacier segments
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
analysis_id				Glacier to which this relates (unique id for each anaalysis)	anlys_id
line_type					line_type
segment_id				segment ID number, from Segment table	seg_id	segments
segment_order					seg_order	segments

glacier_map_info
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
analysis_id	integer		X	Glacier to which this relates (unique id for each anaalysis)	anlys_id
map_id	integer		X		map_id

glacier_polygons stores glacier polygons (aggregate geometrie of glacier segments)
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
analysis_id				Glacier to which this relates (unique id for each anaalysis)	anlys_id
glacier_polys				Polygon Geometries for glacier outlines	glac_polys
line_type					line_type

glacier_reference
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
glacier_id	character varying		X	Unique Glacier ID number, generated from lon/lat of glacier.	glac_id
reference_doc_id	integer		X		ref_doc_id

glacier_static Static glacier information. Data regarding glacier that does not change over time
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
glacier_id	character varying		X	Unique Glacier ID number, generated from lon/lat of glacier.	glac_id
glacier_name	text			Glacier name, if there is one.	glac_name	glaciers
glacier_status	character varying			Status of glacier. Can be one of exists, gone	glac_stat
glac_static_points	USER-DEFINED			Glacier center points	glac_pnts	glaciers
local_glacier_id	character varying				loc_glac_id	glaciers
package_id				ID of package which provides info about this record.	package_id
parent_icemass_id	character varying			Reference for parent glacier ID		glaciers
record_status	character varying			Status of this record, e.g. retired, hidden, current, ok, etc.	rec_status
wgms_id	character varying			World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) ID, if assigned	wgms_id

glims_aster_footprints GLIMS ASTER metadata
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
aster_gains				Gain settings for ASTER scenes	gains
aster_id				The GLIMS given ID of an ASTER scene in the GLIMS Database	aster_id
azimuth_angle				Azimuth angle as found in the ASTER metadata feed	azi_angle
band1					band1
band10					band10
band11					band11
band12					band12
band13					band13
band14					band14
band2					band2
band3b					band3b
band3n					band3n
band4					band4
band5					band5
band6					band6
band7					band7
band8					band8
band9					band9
browse_id				The ID of the ASTER browse image	browse_id
capture_date				ASTER scene date	capt_date
capture_time				ASTER scene time	capt_time
cloud_cover				Percentage of cloud cover in the ASTER scene	cld_cov
cloud_coverage				Same as cloud cover	cld_cov
dar_id				Data Acquisition Request ID
day_or_night				Flag, shows whether image is a daya or night capture	day_night
edc_id				EROS Data Center ID	edc_id
elevation_angle					elev_angle
generation_date					gen_date
geometric_dbversion					geom_dbver
glims_footprints				GLIMS ASTER Footprint polygons	glims_ftpnts
granule_id				Unique ASTER	gran_id
insert_time				Time the data was inserted into the meatadata archive	insert_time
interpolated
ll_cloud_cover
lr_cloud_cover
map_projection					map_proj
missing_data					mis_data
out_of_bounds					out_of_bounds
processing_center					proc_cent
production_date					prod_date
radiometricdbversion
receiving_center					rec_center
resampling					resampling
scene_orient_angle
short_name					short_name
size_mb					size_mb
swir_angle					swit_angle
swir_observationmode					swir_obmode
tir_angle					tir_angle
tir_observationmode					tir_obmode
ul_cloud_cov					ul_cld_cov
ur_cloud_cov					ur_cld_cov
version_id					version_id
vnir1_ob_mode					wnir1_mode
vnir2_ob_mode					vnir2_mode
vnir_angle					vnir_angle

image Metadata table storing information on images used in glacier analyses
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
acq_timestamp	timestamp without time zone			Date/Time of image exposure	acq_time	Images
cloud_pct	double precision			The percentage of cloud cover in an image	cld_pct	Images
comment	text			Text field for additional comments	comment
image_azim	double precision				img_azim
image_center_lat_unc	double precision
image_center_loc	USER-DEFINED
image_center_lon_unc	double precision
image_id	integer		X		image_id	images
image_loc_url	text				image_loc_url
instrument_azimuth	double precision				inst_azi
instrument_id	integer		X	Local ID of the Instrument	inst_id
instrument_zenith	double precision
is_mosaic	boolean				is_mosaic
mosaic_id	integer				mosaic_id
orig_id	character varying				orig_id
projection	text				proj
sun_azim	double precision			Sun Azimuth
sun_elev	double precision				sun_elev

image_band
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
band_id					band_id
image_id					image_id	images

instrument
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
altitude_km	double precision			Altitude of the sensor	alt_km
band_list	text				band_list
eq_crossing_time	time without time zone				eq_crs_time
inclination	double precision				inclntn
instrument_id	integer		X	Local ID of the Instrument	inst_id
instrument_long_name	text		X
instrument_platform_name	character varying
instrument_short_name	character varying
num_bands	integer				num_bands

lon_char_valids
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
description	text				descript
longitudinal_characteristics	integer		X		long_char

map_metadata Stores general information on maps used as source images
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
area_interest	text			The participants area of interest	area_int
asof_date	date				asof_date
author_publisher	text				athor_pub
comment	text			Text field for additional comments	comment
map_id	integer		X		map_id
package_id				ID of package which provides info about this record.	package_id
projection	text				proj
pub_date	date				pub_date
pub_location	text				pub_loc
scale	character varying				scale	images
series_edition	text				series_ed
sheet_number	character varying				sheet_num
title	text				title
units_system	character varying				unit_sys
user_map_id	character varying			ID assigned to a map by the data provider	usr_map_id	maps

package_info Information on GLIMS analysis packages
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
ingest_sw_version				Ingest software version
ingest_time					ing_time
package_id				ID of package which provides info about this record.	package_id
release_okay_date				Date the data is available for download
submission_id				Primary key for the submission_info table	sub_id
xfer_spec_version					xfer_ver

people General information on GLIMS involved contacts
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
add_date	date			Date contact was added to database	add_date
address1	text			Primary address	add1
address2	text			Secondary address	add2
affiliation	text			Affiliated institution	affltn
affiliation_points	USER-DEFINED			The location of the person's institution	affltn_pnt
city	text			Contact's city	city
contact_id	integer		X	GLIMS Participant ID	cont_id
country_code	character				ctry_code
department	text				depr
email_additional	text				email_add
email_primary	text				email_prime
givennames	text			The contact's given names	gvnnames
glims_role	text			Contact role in the GLIMS Project	glims_role
homephone	text			Contact home phone number	homephone
mobilephone	text				mob_phone
mod_date	date				mod_date
office_loc	text				office_loc
postal_code	text				postal_code
principal_flag	boolean				princ_flag
prof_interest	text				prof_interest
prof_title	text				prof_title
state_province	text				state_prov
surname	text				surname
url_additional	text				url_add
url_primary	text				url_prime
workfax	text				workfax
workphone_additional	text				wk_phn_add
workphone_primary	text				work_phone

point_measurement
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
comment				Text field for additional comments	comment
glacier_id				Unique Glacier ID number, generated from lon/lat of glacier.	glac_id
package_id				ID of package which provides info about this record.	package_id
pnt_elev					pnt_elev
pnt_elev_unc					pnt_elev_unc
pnt_label					pnt_label
pnt_lat_unc					pnt_lat_unc
pnt_loc					pnt_loc
pnt_lon_unc					pnt_lon_unc
pnt_meas_id					pnt_meas_id
pnt_timestamp					pnt_timestamp
pnt_unit					pnt_unit
pnt_value					pnt_value
pnt_value_unc					pnt_valunc
record_status				Status of this record, e.g. retired, hidden, current, ok, etc.	rec_status

primary_classification_valids
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
description	character varying				descript
primary_classification	integer		X		prime_class

rc_people Instersection table linikng regional_centers and people
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
contact_id	integer			GLIMS Participant ID	cont_id
rc_id	integer			ID of corresponding Regional Center	rc_id

reference_doc_code
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
tag_code					tag_code
tag_code_description					tag_code_desc

reference_document
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
reference_doc_id	integer		X		ref_doc_id
tag_code					tag_code
tag_value					tag_value

reference_point
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
reference_doc_id					ref_doc_id
ref_pnt_chip_bands
ref_pnt_chip_line
ref_pnt_chip_location
ref_pnt_chip_num_bands
ref_pnt_chip_samp
ref_pnt_chip_src
ref_pnt_desc				Description of the reference point (e.g. river intersection
ref_pnt_elev				Elevation of reference point (m)
ref_pnt_elev_unc				Uncertainty in elevation (m)
ref_pnt_id				ID of reference point
ref_pnt_img_line
ref_pnt_img_samp
ref_pnt_lat_unc				Uncertainty of latitude of ref point
ref_pnt_loc				Reference point location, Geometry
ref_pnt_lon_unc				Uncertainty of longitude of ref point
ref_pnt_name				Name of reference point

regional_centers Metadata table that stores general information on Regional Centers
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
chief	integer			Head/Pricipal Investigator of the RC	chief
comments	text				comments
geog_area	text			Geographic Area
main_contact	integer				main_contact
mou_status	text				mou_status
parent_rc	integer				parent_rc
password	text				password
rc_id	integer		X	ID of corresponding Regional Center	rc_id
regional_center_polys	USER-DEFINED			RC Outlines
sort_key	text				sort_key
url_additional	text				url_add
url_primary	text				url_prime

segment Stores glacier segments
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
glob_unc_x					glob_unc_x
glob_unc_y					glob_unc_y
loc_unc_x
loc_unc_y
orthocorrected
seg_left_feature						segments
segment_id				segment ID number, from Segment table	seg_id	segments
segment_label					seg_label	segments
segment_left_material				Materials on left side:		segments
segment_lines				cloud, terminus, divide, eod (edge of data), etc.	seg_lines	segments
segment_right_material				Materials on right side:		segments
segment_type						segments
seg_right_feature						segments

spatial_ref_sys
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
auth_name	character varying				auth_name


srid	integer		X		srid
srtext	character varying				srtext

starpolys Polygon table representing the location of GLIMS ASTEr aquisition requests
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
area				Glacier Area (km2), as provided by the GLIMS analyst	area	Glaciers

enddoy					edndoy
fragflag					fragflag
g1					g1
g2					g2
g3					g3
g4					g4
g5					g5
g6					g6
g7					g7
g8					g8
g9					g9
gid					gid
ice_buff2_					icebuff2_
ice_buff2___3					ice_buff2_3
instmode					instmode
maxcloudfr
maxsunangl					maxsunangl
minlookang					minlkang
perimeter					perimeter
the_geom				Points, Lines, and polygons (stored as PostGIS objects)	the_geom
title					title
urgentf					urgentf

submission_analyst
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
analyst_id	integer		X	ID of a/the person who did the analysis in a particular submission.	analyst_id	analyst_id
submission_id	integer		X	Primary key for the submission_info table	sub_id

submission_info Information pertaining to glacier data submissions
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
analysis_tools	text			Tools used in the analysis	anlys_tools
analysis_tools_other	text			Any additional tools the analyst used	other_tools
anisotropic_reflectance	boolean				aisoreflct
band_ratio_linear_trans	boolean				bratio_lin
dn_radiance_conversion	boolean				dnrad_conv
embargo_period	character varying			Period in which the data is withheld from being publicly available	emb_per
file_name	text		X		file_name
file_size	integer		X		file_size
geocoding_with_image	boolean			Whether the image was geocoded	geocd_w_img
geomorphological_analysis	boolean				gmrph_anlys
georegistration_gpcs	boolean			Boolean, if the image was georegistered with GCPs	georgs_gpcs
image_radiometric_correction	boolean
ingest_sw_version	character varying			Ingest software version
ingest_time	timestamp without time zone		X		ing_time
manual_digitization	boolean				man_dig
model_radiometric_correction	boolean
orthorectification_dem_dtm	boolean
percent_manual_editing	character varying
process_description	text				proc_desc
rc_id	integer		X	ID of corresponding Regional Center	rc_id
region_label	text			General region where the glacier is, such as Cordillera Blanca or Western Canada	Region label
release_okay_date	timestamp without time zone			Date the data is available for download
slope_aspect_correction	boolean			Flag to indicate whether location is terrain-corrected or not	slp_asp_corr
spatial_filtering	boolean				spatial_filt
submission_id	integer		X	Primary key for the submission_info table	sub_id
submission_time	timestamp without time zone		X		sub_time
submitter_id	integer		X	ID of the person who submitted a particular submission.	submitter_id	submttr_id
sun_elev_correction	boolean				sunelev_cor
supervised_classification	boolean				sup_class
supervised_title	character varying				supv_class
texture_analysis	boolean				tex_anlys
unsupervised_classification	boolean				unsup_class
unsupervised_title	character varying				unsup_title
xfer_spec_version	character varying				xfer_ver

tiepoint_region
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
comment				Text field for additional comments	comment
rc_id				ID of corresponding Regional Center	rc_id
tiepoint_outline					tiepnt_outln
tiepoint_region_id				ID of tiepoint region (primary key).	tiepnt_regid
tiepoint_region_timestamp				Time/Date the tiepoint polygon was created	tiepnt_reg

tongue_activity_valids
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
description	character varying				descript
tongue_activity	integer		X		tongue_act

vector
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
first_pnt_loc					frstpt_loc
second_pnt_loc
vel_set_id				ID of velocity information set	vel_set_id

vector_set
Field Name	Data Type	Key	Not Null	Description	Abbreviated Name	Corresponding Shapefile
analysis_id1					anlys_id1
analysis_id2					anlys_id1
glob_unc_first_lat				Global geolocation uncertainty of first lat (m)
glob_unc_first_lon				Global geolocation uncertainty of first lon (m)
glob_unc_second_lat
glob_unc_second_lon
loc_unc_first_lat				Local uncertainty of first lat (m)
loc_unc_first_lon				Local uncertainty of first lon (m)
loc_unc_second_lat				Local uncertainty of second lat (m)
loc_unc_second_lon				Local uncertainty of second lon (m)
num_vecs				Number of displacement vectors (can be NULL)	num_vecs
package_id				ID of package which provides info about this record.	package_id
record_status				Status of this record, e.g. retired, hidden, current, ok, etc.	rec_status
vel_set_id				ID of velocity information set	vel_set_id