canonical: https://jentic.com/apis/nsidc.org/main # NSIDC Web Service Documentation Index The NSIDC Web Service Documentation Index lets applications search and discover National Snow and Ice Data Center datasets and metadata via a small set of OpenSearch-style endpoints. Four operations cover faceted search, OpenSearch query and description documents, and a suggest endpoint for autocomplete. It is the integration entry point for tools that need programmatic access to NSIDC's snow, ice, and cryosphere data catalog. ## For AI agents Search and discover NSIDC snow, ice, and cryosphere datasets through 4 OpenSearch endpoints. Public access with no authentication required. ## Scope Does not handle dataset downloads, Earthdata authentication, or scientific data processing - use for NSIDC catalog discovery and metadata only. ## Capabilities - Search the NSIDC dataset catalog using OpenSearch query parameters - Retrieve faceted search counts via the /Facets endpoint for filter UIs - Pull the OpenSearch description document for client integration - Surface autocomplete suggestions for dataset titles via /suggest - Build cryosphere-data discovery experiences without scraping the NSIDC website ## Use cases ### Cryosphere Research Dataset Discovery Climate researchers and modelers query the NSIDC catalog to find datasets relevant to a study, then export the metadata into provenance trackers. The /OpenSearch endpoint accepts free-text queries and returns dataset titles, IDs, and links, while /Facets supports filter sidebars by year, region, or sensor. This replaces manual catalog browsing on nsidc.org. Example prompt: Call GET /OpenSearch?q=sea+ice+extent and return the top matching dataset IDs with their NSIDC landing-page URLs ### Faceted Filter UIs for Earth Science Portals Earth-science data portals embed NSIDC search behind faceted UIs. The /Facets endpoint returns counts grouped by year, region, and parameter so the UI can render checkbox filters without the portal team reimplementing search logic. Combined with /suggest for autocomplete, the NSIDC index becomes a drop-in dataset finder. Example prompt: Call GET /Facets?q=glacier and render the returned facet counts as filter checkboxes in a portal UI ### AI Agent Climate Data Lookup via Jentic Climate-focused AI agents use Jentic to discover NSIDC and answer dataset-recommendation questions. The agent searches Jentic for 'NSIDC dataset search', loads the /OpenSearch schema, and executes a free-text query - returning a ranked list of NSIDC dataset records the user can cite or download. Example prompt: Use Jentic to search 'NSIDC dataset search', load /OpenSearch, and execute with q=arctic+sea+ice for a research brief ## Key endpoints | Method | Path | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | GET | /OpenSearch | Search NSIDC datasets with OpenSearch query parameters | | GET | /OpenSearchDescription | Retrieve the OpenSearch description document | | GET | /Facets | Get faceted search counts for filter UIs | | GET | /suggest | Autocomplete suggestions for dataset titles | ## Key resources - **OpenSearch** — OpenSearch query endpoint and description document - **Facets** — Faceted search counts for filter UIs - **Suggest** — Autocomplete suggestions for dataset titles ## Why Jentic - **Setup:** Wiring the NSIDC Web Service Documentation Index by hand means constructing OpenSearch queries against nsidc.org and mapping the search, facets, and suggest operations yourself. Through Jentic you install once, import the NSIDC search operations from the API Directory, and your agent calls it, with no credentials to manage because these endpoints are public. - **Permission scoping:** These search endpoints are read-only and pass terms as query parameters rather than resource ids in the URL path, so scope the agent to the operations it needs, such as running an OpenSearch query or fetching facets. You choose the operations it may call, so the suggest endpoint is not included unless you add it. - **Credential handling:** The NSIDC search endpoints are public, so your Jentic One instance routes requests without credentials and there is no key to store or inject. No token ever enters the agent's prompt, logs, or context. - **Discovery method:** Agents search Jentic by intent such as 'search NSIDC datasets by keyword', and Jentic returns the GET /OpenSearch operation with its query parameter schema so the agent calls the right endpoint without browsing the reference docs. ## Related APIs - **NSIDC Web Service Documentation Index** — Same NSIDC search spec under a longer slug - **NOAA** — US weather and climate observations that complement NSIDC's cryosphere focus - **NASA APOD** — NASA imagery API in the same federal-data ecosystem as NSIDC ## FAQ ### What authentication does the NSIDC Web Service Documentation Index use? The NSIDC dataset search endpoints are public and require no authentication. Through Jentic, calls are routed without credentials, so the agent can execute /OpenSearch and /Facets queries directly. ### Can I search NSIDC datasets by free-text query with this API? Yes. GET /OpenSearch accepts a query parameter and returns matching NSIDC dataset records as OpenSearch results, including dataset titles, identifiers, and landing-page links. ### What are the rate limits for the NSIDC Web Service Documentation Index? NSIDC does not publish a numeric rate limit for these endpoints, but they are intended for interactive search use. Bulk downloading dataset records should use NSIDC's data distribution channels rather than repeated /OpenSearch calls. ### How do I retrieve faceted search counts through Jentic? Search Jentic for 'NSIDC faceted dataset search', load the GET /Facets schema, and execute with the same query you would pass to /OpenSearch. The flow is pip install jentic, then await client.search, load, and execute. ### Is the NSIDC Web Service Documentation Index free? Yes. NSIDC is a federally funded data center and the search index is open and free. Some downstream dataset downloads may require a free Earthdata login, but not the search endpoints themselves. ### Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the NSIDC Web Service Documentation Index? Yes. Because you run Jentic One yourself, your own rules decide which NSIDC operations the agent may call, and these endpoints are read-only search operations that pass terms as query parameters rather than resource IDs in the path. You can scope the agent to just the operations it needs, such as running an OpenSearch query or fetching Facets counts, and leave the suggest endpoint out unless you add it. Since the search endpoints are public, no credentials are involved, so scoping is purely about which read operations the agent is permitted to invoke.