Antarctic Data ManagementAntarctic Data Management

Lee BelbinManager, Australian Antarctic Data Centre

Chairman, Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management

OutlineOutline

• The Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AADC)– Position– Objectives– Achievements– Hurdles

• The Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM)– Position– Objectives– Foundation– The Antarctic Data Directory System– Achievements– Hurdles

PositionPosition

• The Australian Antarctic Data Centre is within the Science Branch of the Australian Antarctic Division

• The Australian Antarctic Division is a Federal government department within Environment & Heritage

• The Australian Antarctic Division is akin to local, state and federal government agencies

• The AAD has responsibility for AAT management– All AAT infrastructure & support is co-ordinated through the AAD– All research is co-ordinated through the AAD

AADC ObjectivesAADC Objectives

• Demonstrate leadership in fulfilling Australia’s Treaty obligations in relation to the management of Antarctic scientific information

• Provide an efficient service for locating and accessing relevant Antarctic scientific data

• Deliver an effective mapping base for Australia’s Antarctic program

• Manage Australia’s Southern Ocean sea-level network in the AAT and Australian sub-Antarctic Islands

AchievementsAchievements

• Balance ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ strategies– Antarctic Science Advisory Committee Policy on data

management– ‘Cradle to grave’ strategy

• Links with research applications forms• Provision of data and ‘educational material’• Links from research annual reports• Data submission

• Metadata system & linkages• GIS infrastructure

– Standards (SDM…)– Web GIS– Data downloads

• Web database systems & integration

HurdlesHurdles

• Changing the ‘culture’• Metadata

– Simpler & more efficient tools– TC211 migration

• Efficient mechanisms for managing spatial data in database systems

• More efficient database generation• Data linkages and data mining

JCADMJCADM

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

(SCAR)

Council of Managers of National Antarctic

Programs (COMNAP)

Joint Committee on Antarctic Data

Management (JCADM)

The Antarctic Data Directory System (ADDS)

International Union of Science (ICSU) Antarctic Treaty (ATCM)

JCADM ObjectivesJCADM Objectives

• Promote the establishment, coordination and support of the Antarctic Data Directory System

• Promote effective scientific data management among parties to the Antarctic Treaty

• Maintain a communications network for Antarctic data managers

• Report to SCAR, COMNAP and Treaty on Antarctic data management issues

• Provide input to and advice from international data management groups (participate in the development of the IDN)

XXIII ATCM Resolution 4 (98)XXIII ATCM Resolution 4 (98)

• The Representatives of the Consultative Parties, Recalling the Commitment of Parties under Article III.1.c. of the Treaty to promote international co-operation in scientific investigation by exchanging, and making freely available, scientific observations and results from Antarctica;

• Welcoming the establishment by SCAR and COMNAP of the Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management and the Antarctic Data Directory System; and

• Recognising the enhanced efficiency for Antarctic research to be gained from effective data management;

• Recommend that-

R4 - Part 1R4 - Part 1

• Consultative parties, who have not yet done so, establish National Antarctic Data Centres and link these to the Antarctic Data Directory System managed by the Joint Committee on Antarctica Data Management of SCAR and COMNAP

R4 - Part 2R4 - Part 2

• Consultative parties and their National Antarctic Data Centres encourage their scientists, through a process of education, support and the development of policies and procedures, to provide in a timely manner appropriate information to their National Antarctic Data Centres for distribution through the Antarctic Data Directory System…

R4 - Part 3R4 - Part 3

• Consultative Parties give priority consideration as to how the requirement for freedom of access to scientific information, in accordance with Article III (1)(c) of the Treaty, is achieved within their national data management systems

The ADDSThe ADDS

AntarcticMaster Directory

Global Change Master Directory

NationalAntarcticDataCentre

NationalAntarcticDataCentre

Client Scientist

Scientist

Scientist

Metadataentry

Metadatasearch

Entry Search

Metadataentry

Scientist Client

Entry Search

NationalAntarcticDataCentre

ADDS

ASDISDC etc

Search

Client

AchievementsAchievements

• JCADM communications network• XXIII ATCM Resolution 4• Establishing NADCs• Guidelines for NADCs• An effective Antarctic Master Directory with

~2,000 Antarctic metadata records• Improvements to metadata tools• Links with the International Arctic Environmental

Data Directory

HurdlesHurdles

• Changing the ‘culture’• Diverse NADC environments and NADC

Resourcing• ‘Capacity building’• Antarctic community support for the GCMD

as host of the Antarctic Master Directory and ancillary support functions

• Improved communication with other international data management communities such as CEOS