diff --git a/podpac/__init__.py b/podpac/__init__.py
index 8a40ca9cc..977e5cf97 100644
--- a/podpac/__init__.py
+++ b/podpac/__init__.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def makedirs(name, mode=511, exist_ok=False):
 from podpac.core.node import Node, NodeException
 import podpac.core.authentication as authentication
 from podpac.core.utils import NodeTrait
-from podpac.core.units import ureg as units
+from podpac.core.units import ureg as units, open_dataarray, UnitsDataArray
 
 # Organized submodules
 # These files are simply wrappers to create a curated namespace of podpac modules
diff --git a/podpac/core/node.py b/podpac/core/node.py
index bf14d3209..19e52ee9c 100644
--- a/podpac/core/node.py
+++ b/podpac/core/node.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 import traitlets as tl
 
 from podpac.core.settings import settings
-from podpac.core.units import ureg, UnitsDataArray, create_data_array
+from podpac.core.units import ureg, UnitsDataArray, create_dataarray
 from podpac.core.utils import common_doc
 from podpac.core.utils import JSONEncoder, is_json_serializable
 from podpac.core.utils import _get_query_params_from_url, _get_from_url, _get_param
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ def create_output_array(self, coords, data=np.nan, **kwargs):
         if self.units is not None:
             attrs["units"] = ureg.Unit(self.units)
 
-        return create_data_array(coords, data=data, dtype=self.dtype, attrs=attrs, **kwargs)
+        return create_dataarray(coords, data=data, dtype=self.dtype, attrs=attrs, **kwargs)
 
     # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # Serialization
diff --git a/podpac/core/test/test_units.py b/podpac/core/test/test_units.py
index 53676d0fa..d296f23fb 100644
--- a/podpac/core/test/test_units.py
+++ b/podpac/core/test/test_units.py
@@ -12,9 +12,12 @@
 
 from podpac.core.units import ureg
 from podpac.core.units import UnitsDataArray
-from podpac.core.units import create_data_array
+from podpac.core.units import create_dataarray
+from podpac.core.units import open_dataarray
 from podpac.core.units import get_image
 
+from podpac.data import Array
+
 
 class TestUnitDataArray(object):
     def test_no_units_to_base_units_has_no_units(self):
@@ -331,56 +334,56 @@ def setup_class(cls):
         cls.coords = Coordinates([[0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 2, 3]], dims=["lat", "lon"])
 
     def test_default(self):
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.shape == self.coords.shape
         assert np.all(np.isnan(a))
 
     def test_empty(self):
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=None)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=None)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.shape == self.coords.shape
         assert a.dtype == float
 
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=None, dtype=bool)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=None, dtype=bool)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.shape == self.coords.shape
         assert a.dtype == bool
 
     def test_zeros(self):
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=0)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=0)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.shape == self.coords.shape
         assert a.dtype == float
         assert np.all(a == 0.0)
 
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=0, dtype=bool)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=0, dtype=bool)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.shape == self.coords.shape
         assert a.dtype == bool
         assert np.all(~a)
 
     def test_ones(self):
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=1)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=1)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.shape == self.coords.shape
         assert a.dtype == float
         assert np.all(a == 1.0)
 
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=1, dtype=bool)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=1, dtype=bool)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.shape == self.coords.shape
         assert a.dtype == bool
         assert np.all(a)
 
     def test_full(self):
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=10)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=10)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.shape == self.coords.shape
         assert a.dtype == float
         assert np.all(a == 10)
 
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=10, dtype=int)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=10, dtype=int)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.shape == self.coords.shape
         assert a.dtype == int
@@ -388,20 +391,68 @@ def test_full(self):
 
     def test_array(self):
         data = np.random.random(self.coords.shape)
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=data)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=data)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.dtype == float
         np.testing.assert_equal(a.data, data)
 
         data = np.round(10 * np.random.random(self.coords.shape))
-        a = create_data_array(self.coords, data=data, dtype=int)
+        a = create_dataarray(self.coords, data=data, dtype=int)
         assert isinstance(a, UnitsDataArray)
         assert a.dtype == int
         np.testing.assert_equal(a.data, data.astype(int))
 
     def test_invalid_coords(self):
         with pytest.raises(TypeError):
-            create_data_array((3, 4))
+            create_dataarray((3, 4))
+
+
+class TestOpenDataArray(object):
+    def test_open_after_create(self):
+        coords = Coordinates([[0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 2, 3]], dims=["lat", "lon"])
+        uda_1 = create_dataarray(coords, data=np.random.rand(3, 4))
+        ncdf = uda_1.to_netcdf()
+        uda_2 = open_dataarray(ncdf)
+
+        assert isinstance(uda_2, UnitsDataArray)
+        assert np.all(uda_2.data == uda_1.data)
+
+    def test_open_after_create_with_attrs(self):
+        coords = Coordinates([[0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 2, 3]], dims=["lat", "lon"], crs="EPSG:4193")
+        uda_1 = create_dataarray(coords, data=np.random.rand(3, 4), attrs={"some_attr": 5})
+        ncdf = uda_1.to_netcdf()
+        uda_2 = open_dataarray(ncdf)
+
+        assert isinstance(uda_2, UnitsDataArray)
+        assert np.all(uda_2.data == uda_1.data)
+
+        assert "some_attr" in uda_2.attrs
+        assert uda_2.attrs.get("some_attr") == uda_1.attrs.get("some_attr")
+
+        assert "crs" in uda_2.attrs
+        assert uda_2.attrs.get("crs") == uda_1.attrs.get("crs")
+
+    def test_open_after_eval(self):
+
+        # mock node
+        data = np.random.rand(5, 5)
+        lat = np.linspace(-10, 10, 5)
+        lon = np.linspace(-10, 10, 5)
+        native_coords = Coordinates([lat, lon], ["lat", "lon"])
+        node = Array(source=data, native_coordinates=native_coords)
+        uda = node.eval(node.native_coordinates)
+
+        ncdf = uda.to_netcdf()
+        uda_2 = open_dataarray(ncdf)
+
+        assert isinstance(uda_2, UnitsDataArray)
+        assert np.all(uda_2.data == uda.data)
+
+        assert "layer_style" in uda_2.attrs
+        assert uda_2.attrs.get("layer_style").json == uda.attrs.get("layer_style").json
+
+        assert "crs" in uda_2.attrs
+        assert uda_2.attrs.get("crs") == uda.attrs.get("crs")
 
 
 class TestGetImage(object):
diff --git a/podpac/core/units.py b/podpac/core/units.py
index 65e648904..136deb451 100644
--- a/podpac/core/units.py
+++ b/podpac/core/units.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 ureg = UnitRegistry()
 
 import podpac
+from podpac import Coordinates
 from podpac.core.settings import settings
 from podpac.core.utils import JSONEncoder
 from podpac.core.style import Style
@@ -351,9 +352,48 @@ def func(self, *args, **kwargs):
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-def create_data_array(coords, data=np.nan, dtype=float, **kwargs):
+def open_dataarray(*args, **kwargs):
+    """
+    Open an :class:`podpac.UnitsDataArray` from a file or file-like object containing a single data variable.
+
+    This is a wrapper around :func:`xarray.open_datarray`.
+    The inputs to this function are passed directly to :func:`xarray.open_datarray`.
+    See http://xarray.pydata.org/en/stable/generated/xarray.open_dataarray.html#xarray.open_dataarray.
+
+    The DataArray passed back from :func:`xarray.open_datarray` is used to create a units data array using :func:`creare_dataarray`.
+    
+    Returns
+    -------
+    :class:`podpac.UnitsDataArray`
+    """
+    da = xr.open_dataarray(*args, **kwargs)
+    coords = Coordinates.from_xarray(da.coords, crs=da.attrs.get("crs"))
+
+    # pass in kwargs to constructor
+    uda_kwargs = {"attrs": da.attrs}
+    return create_dataarray(coords, data=da.data, **uda_kwargs)
+
+
+def create_dataarray(coords, data=np.nan, dtype=float, **kwargs):
+    """Shortcut to create :class:`podpac.UnitsDataArray`
+    
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    coords : :class:`podpac.Coordinates`
+        PODPAC Coordinates
+    data : np.ndarray, optional
+        Data to fill in. Defaults to np.nan.
+    dtype : type, optional
+        Data type. Defaults to float.
+    **kwargs
+        keyword arguments to pass to :class:`podpac.UnitsDataArray` constructor
+    
+    Returns
+    -------
+    :class:`podpac.UnitsDataArray`
+    """
     if not isinstance(coords, podpac.Coordinates):
-        raise TypeError("create_data_array expected Coordinates object, not '%s'" % type(coords))
+        raise TypeError("create_dataarray expected Coordinates object, not '%s'" % type(coords))
 
     if data is None:
         data = np.empty(coords.shape, dtype=dtype)
diff --git a/podpac/datalib/egi.py b/podpac/datalib/egi.py
index 3faefcaf7..e8270fa28 100644
--- a/podpac/datalib/egi.py
+++ b/podpac/datalib/egi.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 from podpac.data import DataSource
 from podpac import authentication
 from podpac import settings
-from podpac.core.units import UnitsDataArray, create_data_array
+from podpac.core.units import UnitsDataArray, create_dataarray
 from podpac.core.node import node_eval
 
 # Set up logging
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ def eval(self, coordinates, output=None):
             )
             raise e
         # Force update on native_coordinates (in case of multiple evals)
-        self.set_trait('native_coordinates', self.get_native_coordinates())
+        self.set_trait("native_coordinates", self.get_native_coordinates())
 
         # run normal eval once self.data is prepared
         return super(EGI, self).eval(coordinates, output)
diff --git a/podpac/datalib/smap_egi.py b/podpac/datalib/smap_egi.py
index f8102cf93..44fd65f81 100644
--- a/podpac/datalib/smap_egi.py
+++ b/podpac/datalib/smap_egi.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def isnat(a):
 import podpac.datalib
 from podpac.core.coordinates import Coordinates
 from podpac.datalib import EGI
-from podpac.core.units import create_data_array
+from podpac.core.units import create_dataarray
 
 SMAP_PRODUCT_DICT = {
     #'shortname':    ['lat_key', 'lon_key', 'data_key', 'quality_flag', 'default_verison']
@@ -143,7 +143,6 @@ def coverage(self):
         else:
             return (self.data_key, self.lat_key, self.lon_key)
 
-
     @tl.default("version")
     def _version_default(self):
         return SMAP_PRODUCT_DICT[self.product][4]
@@ -219,7 +218,7 @@ def read_file(self, filelike):
             c = Coordinates([time, lon, lat], dims=["time", "lon", "lat"], crs="epsg:6933")
 
         # make units data array with coordinates and data
-        return create_data_array(c, data=data)
+        return create_dataarray(c, data=data)
 
     def append_file(self, all_data, data):
         """Append data