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SCAR Bulletin No 135, October 1999

Second Report of the SCAR - COMNAP
Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM)

1 Introduction

The Joint SCAR-COMNAP Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM) has now completed its first year of operation since replacing the SCAR-COMNAP ad hoc Planning Group on Antarctic Data Management

On the recommendation of the ad hoc Planning Group, SCAR and COMNAP established the Antarctic Data Directory System (ADDS) The ADDS consists of a network of National Antarctic Data Centres (NADCs) responsible for collecting descriptions of Antarctic data sets (metadata records) and then submitting these to a central Antarctic Master Directory (AMD) The AMD provides a single point of contact for information on Antarctic data sets and is itself part of the International Directory Network This is detailed in the Second Report of the SCAR-COMNAP ad hoc Planning Group, September 1993

The AMD is hosted at the International Centre for Antarctic Information and Research (ICAIR), Christchurch, New Zealand and is funded by a consortium of four nations (United States of America, Italy, France, and New Zealand) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Management of the MoU is overseen by a Steering Committee comprising representatives of the funding consortium and representatives from SCAR, COMNAP and JCADM. The MoU addresses the support of the Antarctic Data Directory System for five years ending in June, 2000. A meeting of this Steering Committee on 21 July 1998 in Concepción asked JCADM to generate a set of priorities for the AMD host as JCADM was considered to be an appropriate group representing the needs of the ADDS

Twelve countries participated in JCADM-2 (20-24 July 1998, Concepción, Chile); Australia, Chile, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom, the United States of America and Uruguay, plus representatives of the AMD Host and the International Directory Network Global Change Master Directory (GCMD).

2 Overview of JCADM-2

JCADM discussed its role as a Joint SCAR-COMNAP committee and identified the need for close contact with both, recognising that these organisations contribute infrastructure support for scientific research and represent the community that are both the providers and users of the metadata within the ADDS

The key issues on the agenda of JCADM-2 were:

The implications for SCAR and COMNAP of ATCM Resolution XXII-4 (1998);
Review of the status of NADCs and developing strategies for their establishment and on-going development;
Identifying appropriate tools for the support of metadata management;
Strategies to encourage scientists to generate metadata; records
To develop the priorities for the AMD host and address the funding of the ADDS beyond the year 2000;
The JCADM workplan for 1998-99.

3 Antarctic Treaty Support for Antarctic Data Management

The Antarctic Treaty maintains an active interest in Antarctic data management issues through information presented by SCAR and COMNAP on behalf of JCADM. XXII ATCM expressed strong support for the ADDS through ATCM Resolution XXII-4 (1998), see Appendix 1. The key points of this resolution are:

Encouraging the establishment of National Antarctic Data Centres; and
The generation of Antarctic metadata records for distribution through the ADDS.
This resolution therefore provides a strong framework within which to place the activities and recommendations of JCADM.

4 Recruitment of National Antarctic Data Centres to the Antarctic Data Directory System and JCADM

There are currently "operational" National Antarctic Data Centres in Australia, Chile, China, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America A number of other countries are expected to attain "operational" status within the next year. Recruitment of National Antarctic Data Centres is seen as a joint responsibility of SCAR, COMNAP and JCADM.

JCADM continues to address this issue through developing a communications network and the running of regional "capacity-building" workshops. During April 1998 a European workshop was held in Bremerhaven, Germany, with representatives from Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the Ukraine. A second workshop is being planned for South American countries prior to XXIII ATCM.

As an aid to the establishment and operation of NADCs, JCADM continues to develop and distribute guidelines for the operation of National Antarctic Data Centres.

JCADM re-iterates the recommendation from JCADM-1 that its members should be National Antarctic Data Centre managers or, where a Data Centre had not been established, a person instrumental in establishing such a centre.

5 Generation of Metadata Records

The benefits of submitting metadata records to the AMD include:

Minimizing the opportunity for duplication of research;
Raising the profile of research institutes, programmes, scientists and their work;
Simplifying procedures for identifying data relevant to research programmes;
Maximizing the potential for effective collaboration and co-operation on research.

As of July 1998 there are 504 metadata records held in the Antarctic Master Directory, 300 of which have been added within the past 12 months. JCADM expects that usage of the AMD will grow in parallel with the acquisition of further metadata records.

JCADM discussed ways of motivating scientists to create metadata records and these will be included in the NADC guidelines. The group noted that metadata records must be produced as soon as is practicable after the collection of the data to which they refer. The longer the delay in describing the data, the more difficult it becomes, and the greater the opportunity for loss of data value. JCADM noted that timely production of metadata requires appropriate levels of resourcing.

The ICAIR workplan includes activities focusing on increasing the number of metadata records in the AMD. ICAIR will ask NADCs for estimates of the number of metadata records to be provided in the next 12 months and will provide feedback to JCADM against those estimates (see Appendix 2). JCADM therefore expects the number of metadata records to increase substantially over the next 12 months.

6 Beyond the Year 2000

The Memorandum of Understanding between SCAR, COMNAP and ICAIR started in 1995 and is scheduled to end in June 2000. The parties identified in this agreement are France, Italy, New Zealand, the United States of America and ICAIR, the Antarctic Master Directory host. Current funding level is NZ$75,000 per annum (approximately US$40,000 per annum).

JCADM believes that the infrastructure base in support of the ADDS should be moved to a more equitable, secure and accountable base by extending the number of nations contributing to the support of the ADDS.

Recommendations

JCADM recommends to SCAR and COMNAP that:

countries that have yet to establish an NADC do so in the immediate future;
countries include the generation of metadata records as key components of their science programmes and that metadata records are created as soon as is feasible after the collection of data;
SCAR and COMNAP recognise that the creation of metadata records requires an appropriate level of resourcing for science projects as well as NADCs;
the funding for the support of the ADDS should be broadened beyond the four nations currently involved through a levy on all COMNAP members beyond the year 2000.

7 JCADM Workplan 1998-1999

The JCADM workplan (actions and associated responsibilities) is detailed in the following table-

Recruitment within South America and preparation of a South American "capacity-building" workshop	Chile
Issue invitations to South American "capacity-building" workshop	Chile, Australia
Recruitment within eastern and northern Europe	Germany
Tools in support of metadata entry and management for the ADDS	CEOS-IDN, ICAIR, JCADM
Maintain link to Arctic Data Directory (ADD)	UK
Implement a web page suitable as a host page for a link from the ADD	UK
Maintain links with GLOCHANT and CCAMLR	Australia
Develop examples of metadata records for specific discipline areas	New Zealand
Feedback to Chief Officer on NADC guidelines	JCADM
Develop a brief on World Data Centre procedures and documentation	USA
Maintain NADC guidelines	Australia
Update Listserver facilities	ICAIR, Australia
Filter previous ad hoc Planning Group documents from JCADM web site	Australia
Maintain a watching brief on CIESIN developments	USA
Consider inclusion in the AMD of metadata records for global datasets	USA
Actively collect metadata and contribute to AMD	JCADM
Modify DIF "metadata weblet" to accord with JCADM requirements	GCMD, ICAIR, JCADM
Develop a morphing tool to accommodate different metadata formats	GCMD, ICAIR, JCADM
Provision of technical support for metadata tools	GCMD, ICAIR
Add CEOS-IDN, GCMD contacts to JCADM listserver	Australia, USA, Germany

Acronyms

CEOS-IDN Committee on Earth Observation Satellites - International Directory Network
CIESIN Centre for International Earth Science Information Network
DIF Directory Interchange format

Appendix 1 - ATCM Resolution XXII-4 (1998) on Antarctic Data Management

(This was published in SCAR Bulletin No. 131, page 15).

Appendix 2 AMD Host Workplan - 1998-99 Annual Budget ($NZ75,000)

Priority 1 Tasks

Load and Maintain DIFs

Develop and publish procedures for NADCs to submit DIFs within 3 months of SCAR XXV
Upload DIFs to AMD weekly and to GCMD monthly

Act as champion to CEOS IDN - ensure a high proile for Antarctic Community Needs

Join and contribute to GCMD INTEROP list serverand copy to the JCADM list server
Attend 1 CEOS-IDN meeting each year and report on meeting via web site and list server
Provide input to AMD tool development as appropriate in consultation with GCMD & JCADM
Join the DIF INTEROP list server and Voting Committee and report to JCADM
Raise level of awareness of CEOS/GCMD tools and procedures, reporting quarterly
Fulfill full functionality of cooperating node on IDN, ensuring capability to upload DIFs to GCMD

Project management: documenting requirements and posting to JCADM list server

Distribute & support JCADM NADC Starter Kit

Ensure all appropriate tools are available from AMD web site/TP site for NADCs or link to appropriate tools at CEOS/GCMD

Develop FAQ facility on AMD web site

Identifying NADC proposed deliverables. Within 1 month of XXV SCAR contact all identified NADCs requesting estimates of DIFs likely to be supplied in the coming 12 months, checking progress quarterly.

Report to AMD Steering Committee at an annual meeting in conjunction with another Antarctic meeting (eg. ATCM, SCAR, COMNAP).

Priority 2 Tasks

Provide feedback to JCADM on:

Quarterly report to JCADM on new DIFs uploaded
Inform NADCs on quarterly basis of new DIF tools available
Publish procedures on AMD web site within 3 months of SCAR XXV
Quarterly reports on new developments to JCADM list server
Quarterly report on NADC activity to JCADM list server

Priority 3 Tasks

Public relations/publicity - develop common look and feel for NADC web pages
Provide quarterly report on technical advice to JCADM Chief Officer

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

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