Supplementary material to “Toward a Networked Publication and Library System for Scientific Data”

Nicolas Dittert and Michael Diepenbroek,Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany; Hannes Grobe, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany

Citation:
Dittert, N., M. Diepenbroek, and H. Grobe (2007), Toward a Networked Publication and Library System for Scientific Data, Eos Trans. AGU, 88(48), 524. [Full Article (pdf)]

ABSTRACT

Almost 50 years ago, the first World Data Centers (WDC) have been founded through the International Council for Scientific Unions (ICSU) in order to archive and distribute data collected from the observational programs of the 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year. Originally established in the United States, Europe, Russia, and Japan, the WDC system has since expanded to 51 centers in 12 countries. Its holdings are trans-disciplinary. They include a wide range of solar, geophysical, environmental, and human dimensions data covering timescales ranging from seconds to millennia and providing baseline information for research in many ICSU disciplines, especially for monitoring changes in the geosphere and biosphere—gradual or sudden, foreseen or unexpected, natural or man-made.

The conference was hosted by WDC-MARE, the World Data Centre for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM, University of Bremen, Germany), and the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (Bremerhaven, Germany). Among the 31 WDCs and 70 conference participants, Bernard Minster and Hartmut Grassl, ICSU Panel on World Data Centers chairs, honored the accomplishments of 50 years scientific data management and contemplated past deficiencies and future requirements. In order to revise a 50 years old structure and to develop appropriate short- and medium-term strategies, the conference was dedicated to four main subjects.

MEETING REPORT

WDC and GEOSS

Earth observation systems provide measurements, which have been observed historically in isolation. The current Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) effort is conceived for synoptic access and large-scale and complex analysis of all types of empirical data. All subscribing nations have a unique role in developing and maintaining the system, collecting data, enhancing data distribution, and providing models.

The WDC System is a large long-term archiving capacity comprising a unique data management expertise and is thus of great importance to GEOSS, said speaker José Achache, Director of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO).

WDC and Networking

Usually, data are – if at all – available from scattered sources, in heterogeneous formats, and conflicting semantic specifications only. They are unequal in representation and quality. Though, the holistic understanding of the system Earth requires data sharing, harmonization, and integration – to mention some prerequisites only.

The already successful interoperability among WDCs is hence the key to a further integration into other communities, stated speaker Peter Pissierssens, UNESCO’s IODE Programme Coordinator. In a next step, a limited number of data centers shall validate the network’s backbone through an all–WDC data portal. Development, use, and maintenance of open and international information standards and protocols shall furthermore foster the agreed GEOSS data sharing principles.

WDC data access and data quality

WDCs provide online access to scientific data free of charge and without any discrimination. A common concept, however, for the advancement of data quality and access does not yet exist. As scientific knowledge is communicated through scientific literature, and as knowledge is ultimately derived from data, speaker Hannes Grobe, principal of PANGAEA (Publishing Network for Geoscientific & Environmental Data, www.pangaea.de) discussed the novel concept of data publication. Peer-review, persistent identification, open access, and long-term availability would furthermore meet the rules of good scientific practice (e.g. DFG 1998), inter-governmental policies (e.g. Berlin Declaration 2003, OECD 2004), and various funding policies (e.g. NIH 2003).

WDC and IPY

Since the first International Polar Year in 1881-1884, IPYs always have been large-scale scientific enterprises. The International Polar Year Data and Information Service (IPYDIS) is an international federation of data centers, archives, and networks working to ensure proper stewardship of IPY and the long term preservation of and broad, interdisciplinary, and non-expert access to IPY data, recalled speaker Hans Pfeiffenberger, spokesman of the Open Access Commission in the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. Following Pfeiffenberger’s suggestion, the WDC system decided to provide sustenance for the close partnership among IPY data centers and organizations around the world to contribute to an internationally distributed data management system.

Within the last half century, an enormous technical evolution in computer techniques and a fundamental change in clients’ requirements left sustainable traces on scientific data management. Today’s heterogeneity in data centers’ equipment and work flow is perceptible in the WDC System, too. Even more important it is that among any of the above mentioned challenges open access to scientific data and trans-disciplinarity remain the unique selling positions in a strong WDC corporate identity.

Acknowledgements

This conference was supported by the German Science Foundation (DFG) and the International Council for Science (ICSU).

References

Berlin Declaration (2003) Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities. Berlin: http://www.zim.mpg.de/openaccess-berlin/berlindeclaration.html

DFG (1998) Regeln guter wissenschaftlicher Praxis. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft: http://www.dfg.de/aktuelles_presse/reden_stellungnahmen/download/self_regulation_98.pdf.

NIH (2003) Final NIH Statement on Data Sharing. National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-032.html.

OECD (2004) Science, Technology and Innovation for the 21st Century. Meeting of the OECD Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy at Ministerial Level, 29-30 January 2004 - Final Communique. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, France: http://www.oecd.org/document/0,2340,en_2649_34487_25998799_1_1_1_1,00.html.


NICOLAS DITTERT and MICHAEL DIEPENBROEK, MARUM, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany; E-mail: ndittert@wdc-mare.org; HANNES GROBE, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany.