Centre for Environmental Data Analysis
The Centre for Environmental Data Analysis (CEDA) is a UK-based facility operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) on behalf of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Profile
Manages environmental science data archives and provides supercomputing resources for climate research.
The Centre for Environmental Data Analysis (CEDA) is a UK-based facility operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) on behalf of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Established to serve the environmental science community, CEDA manages two primary infrastructures: the CEDA Archive, the national data centre for atmospheric and earth observation data, and JASMIN, a data-intensive supercomputing environment tailored for environmental research. The archive holds over 27PB of climate, atmospheric, and earth observation data, while JASMIN provides high-performance computing resources co-located with multi-petabyte storage.
In November 2025, CEDA faced a significant data recovery incident during a migration, resulting in the loss of 3PB of archived data, though recovery efforts were incorporated into routine operations by mid-2026. The organization plays a critical role in supporting UK and European climate modeling, with recent expansions including high-memory nodes (6TB RAM) added to its JASMIN infrastructure in early 2026. CEDA's work intersects with growing global concerns about data center energy use and climate impacts, though its focus remains on providing essential research infrastructure rather than commercial services.
Who buys this
- UK and European climate scientists
- Earth observation researchers
- Atmospheric science institutions
- Government environmental agencies
- Academic research groups
Strengths and what to watch
Strengths
- Operates JASMIN, a globally unique data-intensive supercomputer for environmental science
- Hosts the UK's national atmospheric and earth observation data archive (27PB+)
- Integrated into NERC's Environmental Data Service network, ensuring long-term institutional support
Watch for
- November 2025 data loss incident (3PB lost during migration) raised questions about archival safeguards
- Dependence on UK government funding amid global climate research politicization
- Growing energy demands of data-intensive research conflicting with sustainability goals
Recent moves
Key Information
- Founded
- 1994
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis?
The Centre for Environmental Data Analysis (CEDA) is a UK facility managing environmental science data archives and supercomputing resources. Operated by STFC for NERC, it hosts 27PB+ of climate data and runs JASMIN, a specialized supercomputer for environmental research, serving scientists and institutions across Europe.
What kind of data does CEDA archive?
CEDA's national archive specializes in atmospheric, climate, and earth observation data, exceeding 27 petabytes. It serves as the UK's primary repository for environmental science data, supporting research in climate modeling, satellite observations, and atmospheric studies through long-term preservation and access systems.
What is JASMIN at CEDA?
JASMIN is CEDA's data-intensive supercomputing environment designed for environmental research. It combines high-performance computing with multi-petabyte storage, recently upgraded with 6TB RAM nodes. This infrastructure uniquely supports large-scale climate modeling and earth observation analysis for UK and European scientists.
What happened in CEDA's 2025 data loss incident?
During a November 2025 migration, CEDA lost 3PB of archived data (11% of total holdings). Recovery efforts were integrated into operations by mid-2026. The incident raised questions about archival safeguards but didn't disrupt core services for climate researchers relying on remaining data.
Who uses CEDA's services?
CEDA primarily serves UK and European climate scientists, earth observation researchers, academic groups, and government environmental agencies. Its user base relies on integrated access to atmospheric data archives and JASMIN's computing power for climate modeling and environmental research projects.
How does CEDA address data center energy concerns?
While CEDA's JASMIN infrastructure has growing energy demands, its focus remains research support rather than commercial operations. The center balances computational needs with institutional sustainability goals, though this tension reflects broader challenges in climate science's data-intensive methodologies.
Sources
- www.ceda.ac.uk — 3PB data loss incident during migration
- www.ceda.ac.uk — JASMIN infrastructure updates including 6TB RAM nodes
- www.ceda.ac.uk — Core services description and organizational role
- www.ucs.org — Context about data center energy demands and climate impacts