Multi-Variable Time Series Associated with the Galápagos Archipelago: Observations, Climatologies, and Standardized Anomalies (SST, Precipitation, NDVI)

This dataset provides multi-variable time series associated with the Galápagos Archipelago, including observed monthly values, long-term climatologies, and standardized anomalies (z-scores) for sea surface temperature (SST), precipitation, and vegetation greenness (NDVI). The records combine in situ observations and gridded or remote sensing products to characterize oceanic, atmospheric, and terrestrial variability over multi-decadal periods (primarily 1995–2025). SST Select EEP Regions SST in degrees Celsius (°C) for four regions in the eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP): El Niño 3.4 (EEP_3-4; 5°S to 5°N, 170°W to 120°W), El Niño 3 (EEP_3; 5°S to 5°N, 150°W to 90°W), El Niño 1+2 (EEP_1and2; 10°S to 0°, 90°W to 80°W), and the Marine El Niño Galapagueño Oscillation region (MENGO; 2°S to 2°N, 93°W to 89°W). SST values were derived from the Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature (OISST) Version 2.1 dataset (Huang et al., 2020). SST_OISST_Select-EEP-Regions_Output1_Observation_1M.csv (Spatially averaged observations) SST_OISST_Select-EEP-Regions_Output2_Longterm-Mean_1M.csv (Long-term monthly averages) SST_OISST_Select-EEP-Regions_Output2_Longterm-Std_1M.csv (Long-term monthly standard deviation) SST_OISST_Select-EEP-Regions_Output4_AnomaliesZScore_1M.csv (Standarized anomalies) Grid in EEP Region SST in °C for 7,185 grid cells in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, spanning 170°W-80°W and 10°S-10°N. Each grid cell represents an area of 0.5° x 0.5°. SST values were derived from the Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature (OISST) Version 2.1 dataset (Huang et al., 2020). SST_OISST_Grid-EEP-Regions_Output1_Observation_1M.csv (Spatially averaged observations) SST_OISST_Grid-EEP-Regions_Output2_Longterm-Mean_1M.csv (Long-term monthly averages) SST_OISST_Grid-EEP-Regions_Output2_Longterm-Std_1M.csv (Long-term monthly standard deviation) SST_OISST_Grid-EEP-Regions_Output4_AnomaliesZScore_1M.csv (Standarized anomalies) Precipitation Precipitation measured at gauge Monthly cumulative precipitation values in milimeters (mm) at the El Carmen gauge located in Santa Cruz highlands (90.3761°W, 0.6659°S, 422 m above sea level). Precipitation source dataset: Sievers et al., 2026 Prcp_Gauge_Output1_Observation_1M (Monthly cumulative observations) Prcp_Gauge_Output2_Longterm-Mean_1M.csv (Long-term monthly averages) Prcp_Gauge_Output2_Longterm-Std_1M.csv (Long-term monthly standard deviation) Prcp_Gauge_Output4_AnomaliesZScore_1M.csv (Standarized anomalies) Precipitation from spatially continuous dataset Monthly cumulative precipitation values in milimeters (mm), derived from the Galápagos Archipelago Refined (GAR) spatially continuous dataset. Specifically values in a 2 km x 2 km grid cell intersecting the El Carmen gauge located in Santa Cruz highlands (90.3761°W, 0.6659°S, 422 m above sea level). Precipitation source dataset: Schmidt, 2024 Prcp_GAR_Output1_Observation_1M (Monthly cumulative observations) Prcp_GAR_Output2_Longterm-Mean_1M.csv (Long-term monthly averages) Prcp_GAR_Output2_Longterm-Std_1M.csv (Long-term monthly standard deviation) Prcp_GAR_Output4_AnomaliesZScore_1M.csv (Standarized anomalies) Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) Monthly NDVI in the humid highland zone on Santa Cruz (SCZ) Island within the protected area of the Galápagos National Park (GNP). NDVI values were derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Observing System Aqua and Terra satellites. Specifically, the Level-3 monthly 1 km NDVI composite for tile h08v09 from the Aqua (Didan, 2021a) and Terra (Didan, 2021b) platforms. NDVI_MODIS_Output1_Observation_1M (Monthly cumulative observations) NDVI_MODIS_Output2_Longterm-Mean_1M.csv (Long-term monthly averages) NDVI_MODIS_Output2_Longterm-Std_1M.csv (Long-term monthly standard deviation) NDVI_MODIS_Output4_AnomaliesZScore_1M.csv (Standarized anomalies) Datasets used in analysis Didan, K. (2021a). MODIS/Aqua Vegetation Indices Monthly L3 Global 1km SIN Grid (Version 061) [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MYD13A3.061 Didan, K. (2021b). MODIS/Terra Vegetation Indices Monthly L3 Global 1km SIN Grid (Version 061) [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD13A3.061 Schmidt, B. (2024). Galapagos Refined Analysis Dataset [Dataset]. https://data.klima.tu-berlin.de/GAR/v1/d02km/m/2d/ Sievers, R., Carrión-Klier, C., Peabody, C., & Jäger, H. (2026). Monthly and Annual Cumulative Precipitation Measurements from the El Carmen Gauge, Santa Cruz Highlands, Galápagos [Dataset]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.20047613 Huang, B., Liu, C., Banzon, V. F., Freeman, E., Graham, G., Hankins, W., Smith, T. M., & Zhang, H.-M. (2020). NOAA 0.25-degree Daily Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature (OISST) (Version 2.1) [Dataset]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.25921/RE9P-PT57