The repository enables reuse of the data over time, ensuring that appropriate metadata are available to support the understanding and use of the data.
Data reuse is one of the pillars of Open Science, which ESPRI integrates into its IT strategy and the evolution of its services. To this end, SEDOO applies the FAIR principles as far as possible in the management of its data and infrastructure and in particular for the data reuse principle. The netCDF format is well suited to meet those requirements. NetCDF is a self-describing and machine-independent format which includes information/attributes about metadata (axis, grid description, geographical projection, etc.), the data itself (measurement, variable name, units, time frequency, etc.) and the context under which the data was generated (instrument, model, experiment, interpolation method, etc.). Depending on this context or on demand of the depositor, netCDF files contain different types of information for the users related to the data provenance, such as the date of generation/collection of the data, the name and version of the software used, if it is raw or processed data. The CF convention requires to detail the variable short, long and standard name together with a self-explanatory description (i.e., defined in the research field’s controlled vocabulary). If available, the netCDF attribute also include the dataset version, a persistent identifier, an URL for further information (e.g., known issues documented on an errata), the history of processing command-lines, the DOI URL or how to cite the date and who to acknowledge.
Although the primary data format supported by SEDOO is the netCDF format, particular attention is paid to respecting the data format and metadata standards of other communities requesting for SEDOO facilities. To ensure data reusability for those formats they must allow metadata to be stored along with the data itself. In order to take into account the evolution of formats, we rely on international standards only and pay attention to the evolution of metadata conventions, enriching them if necessary.
Links:
- SEDOO Data Management Plan
- Climate and Forecast Convention
- NetCDF format from UNIDATA