Global Monthly Terrestrial Water Balance and Surface Environment Dataset (2002–2010, v1.0)

This dataset is a coordinated, analysis-ready resource specifically designed for global terrestrial water cycle diagnostics and uncertainty attribution. It features a spatial resolution of 0.5° × 0.5° and a monthly temporal resolution, integrating core water cycle fluxes (precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff), terrestrial water storage change, and key land surface environmental covariates.Its core value lies in a dual-purpose framework: it not only provides the water balance closure residual (ε) derived from the principle of mass conservation (P − ET − R − ΔS = ε), but also synchronizes these diagnostics with essential surface descriptors—including topographic morphology (elevation, slope, and northness), vegetation dynamics (NDVI), land cover composition (fractional areas of seven major classes), and climate zones (Köppen–Geiger classification). All variables are consistently regridded onto a unified 0.5° × 0.5° grid using conservative remapping techniques, thereby eliminating spurious biases arising from spatial misalignment among original multi-source products. This integrated, harmonized structure offers a robust foundation for investigating the physical drivers of water balance non-closure through machine learning, statistical modeling, or process-based attribution.