Privacy Policy, Disclaimer, & Copyright Notices

Privacy Policy and Security | Disclaimer | Copyright

Privacy Policy and Security

Introduction:

These World Wide Web pages are provided as a public service by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, National Geophysical Data Center.

Information presented on these pages is considered public information and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credits is requested.

If You Visit Our Site:

We do not collect personally identifiable information (e.g., name, address, phone number, e-mail address) from users, regardless of age, unless you provide it to us. The information we collect includes:

• The name of the domain (for example,"xyzfirm.com" if you use a private Internet access account, or "yourschool.edu" if you are connecting from a university's domain);
• The IP address from which you access our Web site;
• The type of browser and operating system used to access our site;
• The date and time you accessed it;
• The Internet address of the Web site from which you linked directly to us;
• The pages you visit on our site; and
• The status code indicating success or failure in rendering the web page for the browser.

Our site captures and uses this information so we can provide better services to our visitors. For example, we use the browser information to improve the functionality and format of our Web pages. For site management and statistical purposes, we collect information such as which domains access our pages, which pages are accessed most frequently, and what time of day or week access to our pages is heaviest. For some search systems, we may also collect information on the search criteria used to tailor our interfaces to better meet user needs.

For the protection of users of our Web site, we have safeguards in place to identify and prevent unauthorized attempts to access or cause harm to information and systems.

The Use of "Cookies":

A small number of data systems at NGDC use session cookies. Cookies are used for the user's convenience to maintain "state" between pages and to coordinate search results from multiple programs within a session. The cookies disappear after the session is completed (the session cookie on the client machine is set to expire when the user's session ends). NGDC does not maintain a historical database of cookies nor does it use cookies to profile customers.

Email Sent to NGDC:

By sending us an electronic mail message, you may be sending us personally-identifying information. In these cases, we may retain the information not only to respond to your request, but also as a record of correspondence according to Department of Commerce guidelines.

Information Submitted on NGDC Web Forms:

If you use our Web site forms to contact us, we capture the information you provide and use it to respond to your comments, requests and inquiries. Submitting voluntary information constitutes your consent to the use of the information for the stated purpose. This information may be maintained for future NGDC communications, but to the maximum extent of the law is not provided to any other organizaton or entity. We also capture the address of the server from which you sent the form.

Sharing and Protection of Information:

We do not share any of the information you provide with agencies outside of the Department of Commerce. To the maximum extent of the law we do not distribute the information we collect from this Web site, except for information you have explicitly submitted for redistribution.

Site Security:

For site security purposes, and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, all traffic is monitored to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, otherwise cause damage, or to conduct criminal activity. To protect our Web site from unauthorized use and to ensure its proper function, activities of all users are subject to monitoring and recording. Anyone using our Web site may be subject to such monitoring and is advised that if there is evidence of possible abuse or criminal activity, the results of this monitoring shall be made available to appropriate officials for possible prosecution. Unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage to our Web site, are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under applicable federal law.

Scope of this Privacy Policy:

This privacy policy applies only to the pages of the National Geophysical Data Center. Other NOAA and Department of Commerce organizations may have different Privacy Policies and/or information collection practices. You are encouraged to check the Privacy Policies when going to other pages or following our links to external pages.

Your rights as a visitor to this Web site are detailed at URL http://www.cftc.gov/foia/foiprivacyact.htm.

For privacy policies from our parent organizations, please follow the links below.

NOAA privacy policy | Dept of Commerce privacy policy

Disclaimer

Disclaimer of Liability:

While NGDC makes every effort to ensure that its databases are error- free, errors do occur. We ask that you notify us immediately of any errors that you discover in our data; we will make every effort to correct them. However, with respect to documents available from this server, neither the United States Government nor any of its employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose; nor assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed; nor represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.

Disclaimer of Endorsement:

Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

Disclaimer for External Links:

The appearance of external links on this World Wide Web site does not constitute endorsement of external web sites or the information, products, or services contained therein by the Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service/National Geophysical Data Center. Our organization does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these external locations. These links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this web site, and for your convenience.

Copyright Notice

As required by 17 U.S.C. 403, third parties producing copyrighted works consisting predominantly of the material produced by U.S. government agencies must provide notice with such work(s) identifying the U.S. Government material incorporated and stating that such material is not subject to copyright protection. The information on NGDC web pages is in the public domain with the following exceptions:

• The material is specifically annotated otherwise (copyright may be held elsewhere).
• Trademarks, logos, and trade names such as the NOAA emblem and the Department of Commerce seal are the property of the U.S. Government and are trademarks of the Commerce Department.

When you use data from NGDC, we ask that you please cite the original data contributors and sources of funding, and we would appreciate a link/credit/byline, as appropriate.