The difference between colhub.met.no and scihub.copernicus.eu

Every now and then we get questions regarding the difference between the colhub.met.no (part of the NBS) and scihub.copernicus.eu. Allthough the interfaces look the same, the content is not. We will try to explain the differences below.

The most important to make clear is that colhub.met.no is not and will not mirror scihub.copernicus.eu. I.e. there are products in colhub.met.no (colhub) that you will not find in scihub.copernicus.eu (scihub) and vica versa.

colhub.met.no

colhub is running using the same software as scihub i.e. The Data Hub Software (DHuS). colhub is an important piece in the NBS but also in the Sentinel Collaborative Ground Segment operated by ESA. There, colhub (and hence MET Norway) is the primary node for dissiminating global Sentinel-1 data from ESAs central nodes to the other participating nations. Thus, colhub retrieves other Sentinel products from the responsibles for the other Sentinel missions, among others. Serving data in the NBS, colhub will contain Copernicus Sentinel data covering Norwegian areas of interest in the SAFE format. The product portefolio is as follows:

  • Sentinel-1 (RAW, SLC, GRD, OCN). In addition, colhub gets very fast Sentinel-1 GRD NRT/QRT data processed by KSAT from a national contract.
  • Sentinel-2 (L1C, L2A and L1C producs orthorectified with Norwegian Digital Elevation Model (marked with suffix *DTERRENGDATA*)
  • Sentinel-3 (Level1/2 land and marine products)
  • Sentinel-5p (available in backend and will be available for users when frontend is upgraded to DHuS v.2)

Currently, all data in colhub are online. In addition, a user can have 15 concurrent downloads with a high download rate. 

scihub.copernicus.eu

scihub is ESAs primary access point for provision of free and open access to Copernicus Sentinel products at a global scale. Hence, the product portefolio is:

  • Sentinel-1 (RAW, SLC, GRD, OCN). 
  • Sentinel-2 (L1C, L2A)
  • Sentinel-3 (Level1/2 land products)
  • Sentinel-5p 

Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 products are now following a Long Term Archive Access plan, which means that the oldest products will be "offline" but availalbe upon request. scihub currently supports 2 concurrent downloads.

For questions, please use the contact form.