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Caro-COOPS Data Management: Metadata. An NSF EPSCoR SURA Grant Project. Cast-Net addresses the need for improved connectivity among coastal observing systems by creating a regional framework for enhanced communication and sharing of coastal observation capacities.
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An NSF EPSCoR SURA Grant Project Cast-Net addresses the need for improved connectivity among coastal observing systems by creating a regional framework for enhanced communication and sharing of coastal observation capacities.
Objectives of the Cast-Net Program • To create a regional framework for enhanced communication and sharing of coastal observation capacities; • To create a system of tools that facilitate the collection, organization, and documentation of data and metadata at the observing system level; • To distribute these tools among the SAML laboratories and provide assistance in their implementation; • To identify those monitored parameters that are common to laboratories covering a broad geographical range, which can be used to develop a regional analysis and/or predicting capability; • Ensure that this southeastern regional framework is compatible with the national and international vision of global ocean and coastal observation systems
Metadata Standards • FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata • Version 1 (1994); Version 2 (1998) http://www.fgdc.gov/Metadata/ContStan.html • Version 3.0 expected to be released after international standard approved • NBII Biological Data Profile • Pre-profile based on 1995 American Institute of Biological Sciences final report • Official FGDC Profile Approved in 1999 http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/status/sub5_2.html
Metadata Standards • Positive attributes of the FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) • Established Federal Standard • Numerous tools and resources are available to assist with its development • FGDC standard and the International Organization for standardization (ISO 19115) will soon be compatible • Negative attributes of the CSDGM • Monolithic, it is difficult to integrate with other metadata standards • The strong emphasis of spatial standards may not be applicable • Other metadata standards may be more useful for data management initiatives
Caro-COOPS Metadata Initiatives • To create a metadata system that will meet the requirements of the FGDC, yet is flexible and efficient. • Utilize other data and metadata standards such as SensorML, MarineXML, and Ecological Metadata Language (EML) • Marine XML: designed to support metadata describing the data collection, quality control and subsequent processing, and facilitate the tracking of regional and global oceanographic data sets (http://www.aodc.gov.au/products/prod/marinexml.html and http://ioc.unesco.org/marinexml/). • SensorML: an XML schema for defining the geometric, dynamic, and observational characteristics of a sensor (rain gauge to a satellite system) (http://vast.uah.edu/SensorML/). • EML: it exists as a set of XML Schema documents that allow for the structural expression of metadata necessary to document a typical data set in the ecological sciences (http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/software/eml/ ).
Caro-COOPS Metadata Initiatives cont. • Metadata archived in relational databases and using XML and XSLT technologies: • Allows for the creation of user templates, only those fields that are regularly updated need to be administered. • Customizable metadata initiatives that are a reflection of the requirements of an individual institution or a researcher. • Always allow for the generation of FGDC metadata to meet federal requirements.
Caro-COOPS Metadata Initiatives cont. • Metadata generated by the Caro-COOPS program is diverse and multiple strategies are needed. • Metadata that describes instrumentation data will require minimum attention once initial metadata documentation has been developed. • Operational metadata will describe geometric, dynamic, and observational characteristics buoy instrumentation (i.e., sensorML). This should only require updates after instrumentation maintenance/calibration. • Biological collections are diverse and require unique solutions that do not necessarily allow for easy automation of metadata procedures.