Study on the Long-term Retention of Selected Scientific and Technical Records of the Federal Government Working Papers (1995) / Chapter Skim
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IV. REPORT OF THE OCEAN SCIENCES DATA PANEL
IV. REPORT OF THE OCEAN SCIENCES DATA PANEL
Pages 86-104
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From page 86... ...
Therefore, even in the age of satellite data products, the community of oceanographic data users needs more information. New sources of data usually are collected by agencies, groups, and individuals for a particular research project and remain in their respective hands for periods of time extending to several years before reaching data centers.
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From page 87... ...
and because of the relevance of such data to understanding and managing the environment. Considering the importance of promptly providing these users with correct and properly documented data, there is an ever increasing need for the scientific review of oceanographic data, for the active distribution and assistance with the proper use of the data, and for the safe, long-term archiving of the data.
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From page 88... ...
Nonetheless, the preservation of oceanographic data sets will provide needed references in the future for all individuals needing to use the information. Major Oceanographic Data Holdings in the United States The principal federal agency ocean data holdings are at the NOAA National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC)
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From page 89... ...
Currents Ocean stations S alinity/temperature/depth BT temperature profiles Sea level Marine chemistry/manna pollutants Other Subtotal Individual data sets, for example Geosat data sets CoastWatch data Levitus Ocean Atlas 1994 data sets Other (estimated) Subtotal Total Physical/Chemical Marine Biological Data Master data files Fish/shellfish Benthic organisms Intertidal/subtidal organisms Plankton Marine mammal sighting/census Primary productivity Subtotal Individual data sets, for example Marine bird data sets Marine mammal data sets Marine pathology data sets Other (estimated)
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From page 90... ...
To date, this scenario has in fact been the case for oceanographic data sets as both data acquisition and data storage have made the transition from manual to electronic means and the volume of practical, inexpensive data storage has improved by orders of magnitude. Redundant Data While many of the data used in oceanography are unique and thus cannot be replaced, some data are in fact redundant and can be considered for disposal.
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From page 91... ...
Data archive centers faced with budget difficulties may be tempted to destroy, or allow the decay of, nonredundant data sets. However, the following points should be considered carefully before any oceanographic data are destroyed or allowed to decay into an unusable state.
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From page 92... ...
3 METADATA FOR LONG-TERM RETENTION OF OBSERVATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA SETS The planning, implementation, and maintenance of an effective mechanism for long-term archiving of observational data sets must address three critical issues: storage management, accessibility, and assessability. Storage management focuses on various aspects of archiving, including the reliable storage of data for long periods of time, the transfer of data from old to new storage technology, physical data distribution to accommodate institutional policies regarding custodianship or the physical limitations of an institution, and retrieval performance requirements.
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From page 93... ...
A minimal set of entities is defined based on analyses of documentation needs for data set classifications and usage classifications that appear most likely to require documentation differences. User and data set classifications are presented next, followed by a high-level information model for observational data sets and associated documentation (the Observational Metadata Model)
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From page 94... ...
These users are peripheral to data set creation, but perform tasks that require full-resolution observational data sets. These users have both general and detailed knowledge of the scientific context in which the observations were made, but may not have detailed knowledge of specific sampling technology and protocols, experimental objectives and assumptions, practices of the principal investigatorts)
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Typical metadata should include, among other items, information about lineage to measurement data sets, quality control procedures, principal investigators, sampling protocols, data collection activities, and experimental objectives. · Derived observations.
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From page 96... ...
In some cases, the content data may be considered the primary data while the interpretive context and the unstructured data item may be considered the metadata. Observational Metadata Model Data modeling, including metadata modeling, often begins by specifically identifying the major elements of an observational data set and the various activities and entities involved in the production of such a data set.
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Metadata objects in this realm document processing or procedural activities that were used in the creation of a data set. Process type names, defines, and describes the types of processing involved in the creation of a data set.
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From page 98... ...
In addition to serving as a metadata template for the oceanographic community, there are numerous other benefits that could be provided by the development of the Observational Metadata Model. These include the following: a basis for improved scientific information policies and data management practices; better data and metadata content standards; a basis for database design activities by institutions or individuals using diverse information technology; and a model for user interface design.
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From page 99... ...
· The institutions that host multiple researchers also can play a key role by providing enhanced data management services as an infrastructure function to all affiliated researchers and users. In addition, research institutions also should be involved in developing and externally promoting improved information technology, as well as data and metadata standards, to improve inter-institutional data exchange and cooperation.
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From page 100... ...
While data exchange among researchers usually has taken an informal route outside of the purview of the data centers, large data sets (especially satellite data) are increasingly coming from data acquisition and analysis centers designated for particular data types.
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From page 101... ...
It also should ensure that catalogs of current holdings are up to date and accessible to all interested parties. Because most of the existing oceanographic data can fit onto a collection of CD-ROMs, the long-term archive could best serve the need of the community for data access by distributing copies of selected data sets, together with public domain software for displaying these data, to a wide variety of sites, such as libraries and universities.
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From page 102... ...
Equally important, a data archive must provide effective access to its holdings by diverse users and provide enough ancillary information to make the data sets useful for interdisciplinary and long-term purposes. To achieve effective long-term retention of observational data sets, the following steps should be taken: · Metadata requirements must be better understood and specified as the basis for affecting improved
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From page 103... ...
· Institutions that host multiple researchers can play a key role by providing enhanced data management services as an infrastructure function to all affiliated program managers, researchers, and users. Research institutions also should be involved in developing and externally promoting improved information technology, as well as data and metadata standards, to improve inter-institutional data exchange and cooperation.
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From page 104... ...
They may maintain proprietary control over the data they acquire for some limited period of time, but should be required to submit the data to a short-term or long-term archive center after a period of no more than two years. · Short-term archive centers serve as focal points for the collection, assessment, and distribution of particular types of oceanographic data.
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