About us

Who are we?

• The Australian Antarctic Data Centre is a part of Australia's Antarctic Science Program.

What do we do?

• Manage science data from Australia's Antarctic research (acquire, index, store, disseminate, link and 'mine')
• Map Australia's areas of interest in the Antarctic region
• Manage Australia's Antarctic state of the environment reporting
• Fabricate, install and manage Australia's Antarctic station tide gauges
• Provide advice and education and a range of other products

Why do we do it?

• Scientific data are key (and highly valuable) outputs of Australia's Antarctic Science Program and therefore should be managed for posterity
• Article III.1.c of the Antarctic Treaty states that "to the greatest extent feasible and practicable" ... "scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available"
• National Antarctic data management policy

Staff

The Australian Antarctic Data Centre is located on the top floor of the John King Davis building at the Australian Antarctic Division site.

Australian Antarctic Data Centre Staff

• Kim Finney, Manager
• Henk Brolsma, Mapping Officer
• Ursula Ryan, GIS Development Officer
• Dave Connell, Scientific Data Coordinator
• David Smith, GIS Applications
• Angela Bender, GIS Support Officer
• Meredith Inglis, Map & Aerial Photos Curator
• Dave Watts, Application Developer and Database Management
• Miles Jordan, Applications Developer /Data Management
• Ben Raymond, Data Miner
• Andy Townsend, Applications Developer

Please send any enquiries via our feedback form.

Copyright policy

Copyright and acknowledgements associated with images, text and data downloaded from the Australian Antarctic Data Centre

Unless otherwise noted, the following applies to all images, text and data viewed or downloaded from the Australian Antarctic Data Centre

1. All images, text and downloadable data are copyright © Commonwealth of Australia 2006 or the copyright of respective authors or data originators where indicated. Any license conditions stipulated by third party data suppliers for non Commonwealth copyright data are available at the point of data access.
2. Clear acknowledgement of the Australian Antarctic Division is to be given on any product resulting from the use of Commonwealth copyright images, text and data.

   Material marked © Commonwealth of Australia 2006 may be downloaded, displayed, printed and reproduced in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. Source credit must be given as follows:

   Courtesy Australian Antarctic Division © Commonwealth of Australia 2006
   
   Use of material marked © author or photographer is not permitted without specific permission from that author, or photographer.

   Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved.

3. The Australian Antarctic Division accepts no responsibility for the completeness or accuracy of the data.
4. You consent to name, organisation, e-mail address and contact phone number being recorded and that downloads are monitored and statistics generated. You consent to the possibility of the Australian Division contacting you regarding your use of downloaded data.
5. The data is for the sole use of the recipient and is not to be passed on to third parties. Third parties are however encouraged to download their own copies of the data.

 

Data policy

Australian Antarctic Program (AAP) Data Policy

This Data Policy was originally developed in 1999 and endorsed by the Antarctic Science Advisory Committee. It was updated in 2008, with changes endorsed by the AAD Chief Scientist.

Glossary of Terms

AAD Australian Antarctic Division
AAP Australian Antarctic Program
AAS Australian Antarctic Science
Data Centre/AADC Australian Antarctic Data Centre
ADDS Antarctic Data Directory System
AGSO Australian Geological Survey Organisation
AMD Antarctic Master Directory
AAS Australian Antarctic Science
ATCM Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting
CEOS/IDN Committee for Earth Observation Satellites — International Directory Network
DIF Directory Interchange Format (the CEOS-IDN metadata standard)
COMNAP Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs
FTP File Transfer Protocol (an Internet protocol for up-downloading files)
ICAIR International centre for Antarctic Information and Research
JCADM Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management
NADC National Antarctic Data Centre
PI Principal Investigator (project lead scientist)
SCAR Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
SPMC Science Program Managers Committee
WDC World Data Centre

 

Table of Contents

Policy Overview
The Management of Antarctic Scientific Data
Who Owns Australian Antarctic Science Data?
The Value of Antarctic Science Data
How are "Data" Defined?
Who is the Custodian of Antarctic Science Data?
What is Metadata and why is it Important in Data Management?
When must Data be Submitted to the Australian Antarctic Data Centre?
Why Must Data be Submitted to the Australian Antarctic Data Centre?
What about Long-Term Monitoring Data?
Where are Data Stored?
How are Data Stored?
How Can Data Be Made Available After Submission?
What About Scientific Samples?
Australian Antarctic Data Centre Responsibilities
Scientist's Data Management Responsibilities
Data Management Steps in AAS Projects
Antarctic Data Management — an International Perspective

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

Policy Overview

A condition of participation in the Australian Antarctic Program (AAP) is that all data and samples remain the property of the Commonwealth of Australia, excluding samples collected from Macquarie Island which are the property of the Tasmanian Government. It is the role of AAP Chief Investigators to ensure that all data and samples generated as part of their research are adequately managed for long-term re-use. This generally involves ensuring from the outset that all data/samples are adequately documented with metadata and that arrangements are made for data to be deposited with the Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AADC). Alternative long-term repositories will be considered to host the data but will require the submission of a data management plan for consideration by the AADC Manager before this can be approved.

All data and associated metadata must be submitted to the AADC (or alternate host) within 2 years of data being collected. Progress towards completion of metadata and submission of all datasets will be monitored through the ASAC Progress Reporting process. Samples must be catalogued and submitted to recognised collection hosting facilities.

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, data submitted to the AADC will be made public, after obtaining consent from the Chief Investigator. Extenuating circumstances preventing timely publication of data must be presented to the AADC Manager, who will provide advice to the Chief Scientist on the merits or otherwise of the case. The Chief Scientist will then determine whether the circumstances warrant delaying publication of the data.

The Management of Antarctic Scientific Data

The Australian Antarctic Data Centre was established in 1996 to manage and disseminate scientific data resulting from research within the Australian Antarctic Program. This role also fulfils Australia's obligations under Article (III).(1).(c) of the Antarctic Treaty that states that-

"Scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available."

ATCM Resolution XXII-4 [1998] (see Appendix A) also bears directly on Antarctic Data Management in two of its three components-

II. 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.

III. 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.

This document outlines the policy of the Antarctic Science Advisory Committee and the Australian Government Antarctic Division relating on the management of scientific data within AAP.

Who Owns Australian Antarctic Science Data?

A condition of participation in the AAP, is that each expeditioner is required to acknowledge that data and samples collected from the Antarctic remains the property of the Commonwealth of Australia. Similarly, samples collected on Macquarie Island remain the property of the Tasmanian Government, which requires verification of the curation of such items into approved collections.

As a consequence of Australia's adherence to the Antarctic Treaty System and specifically Article (III)(1)(c), the Commonwealth of Australia will make these data publicly available. The timing of data release is addressed below.

The Value of Antarctic Science Data

Data are valuable assets. The cost of acquiring scientific data from the Antarctic varies from around $25,000 for "round-trippers" to $200,000 per person per season for remote field parties and costs continue to raise with inflation. Unlike less remote and more hospitable areas, opportunities to collect quality data are limited. The data that are collected are therefore extremely valuable and in many cases, irreplaceable.

Data must be recognised as having a potential value that may exceed publications derived from it. Publications in scientific journals have been the primary means of evaluating scientific productivity, but all areas of society are now recognising the true cost of lost data. Data underpinning a publication are rarely published, yet may increase in value over time, and remain capable of generating further research. Ironically, most scientists underestimate the true value of the data they have collected, and rarely foresee how they may be (effectively) used in the future.

When it comes to data, the whole is more than the sum of the parts. A broader context can usually be achieved by an amalgamation of data contributed by different scientists than any single-origin subset. One of the key roles of the Data Centre is adding value to data by creating databases from multi-source, multi-format datasets. This enables data to be comprehensively searched, subsetted and reported on. For example, the SCAR Biodiversity Database was created from flora and fauna observations. This database can, among other things, be used to determine the locations of particular species, to locate all species within a particular area, list observations during a certain time, or list observers. Such questions would be extremely difficult to answer across the original datasets.

How Are Data Defined?

"Data" comprise almost any scientific observation, either raw or processed in any format, either electronic or paper. The Data Centre has been established to manage a broad range of scientific data. Data in this context could include-

• Raw or unprocessed observations, eg whale sighting records that may include time, location and whale type,
• Processed data that have been derived from raw observations through any form of analysis or calibration, eg bathymetric data that have been corrected for noise, salinity and temperature,
• Derived products that present a summary or specific view into a particular dataset, eg a set of scores based upon aggregated medical records,
• Ancillary data that are considered to add value or a context to other related and managed data, eg digital images of sites where data have been collected
  

The decision as to the form the data takes is decided between the data custodian and the Manager of the Data Centre. Where necessary, more than one form of the data will be managed, for example, raw and processed data.

Who Is The Custodian Of Antarctic Science Data?

The Data Centre links the primary responsibility for a dataset to a data custodian. The custodian should be the

• individual identified in a relevant metadata record responsible for the data or,
• person who may have collected the data or,
• person who will be the technical or administrative contact for anyone needing further details about a dataset.
  

Metadata provides the linkage between data, custodian and a custodial agency. The custodial agency provides continuity for the dataset in cases where the custodian changes positions or agency or retires.

The Data Centre is dependent on the custodian for information relating to a particular set of data. It is the responsibility of the custodian, in collaboration with the Data Centre, to ensure that data are documented, primarily through metadata records, and that the data are in a form that is acceptable to the Data Centre.

Allowances must be made in AAS projects for the presentation of data in an acceptable form to the Data Centre. Where expertise is not available, the Data Centre may be able to assist in re-formatting data into forms more suitable for management.

What Is Metadata And Why Is It Important In Data Management?

Metadata provides information about data in a similar way that a card catalogue provides information about publications within a library. A library catalogue facilitates searching for particular topics or author, while metadata may be searched by author, type of data, time or area of collection and other parameters to locate relevant data or samples.

Because data can be more difficult to describe than a book, metadata has more parameters than a library catalogue. Metadata can be used to describe all types of data, from paper records to samples to digital databases or research projects.

Metadata describes datasets concisely using a standard format. The standard endorsed by the Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM) is DIF (Directory Interchange Format). The basic metadata elements include title, personnel, summary, search words, geographic extent, dates of collection, date of metadata creation, dataset status, dataset format, access constraints, quality, accuracy and links to other related information.

Metadata is the primary mechanism for documenting data and in relevant cases, instruments involved in data collection. Metadata standards support unlimited links to other documents, particularly in the form of web pages. This enables the fundamental metadata parameters (who, when, where, what) to be augmented with detailed descriptions and parameters that the custodian considers necessary for other scientists to make effective use of their data.

This flexibility enables concise descriptions of data. For example, a group of automatic weather stations may have unique documented components in addition to a set of common sensors documented once, but used by multiple metadata records.

When Must Data Be Submitted To The Australian Antarctic Data Centre?

An AAS Project is considered incomplete until all data resulting from that project have been submitted to the Australian Antarctic Data Centre. Submission should normally be made within two years of data collection unless special arrangements are made with the AADC Data Centre Manager - which must also be approved by the Chief Scientist.

Preferably data should be submitted electronically via the AADC on-line data submission system, or alternative arrangements can be made by contacting the Data Centre at data@aad.gov.au. The data must be described by metadata submitted to the Australian Antarctic Data Centre metadata database (CAASM). Further details and assistance can be obtained by phoning the Data Officer on (03) 6232 3244.

Upon submission, the Australian Antarctic Data Centre, in consultation with the Principal Investigator, will consider how these data are to be published. Where requested, the Australian Antarctic Data Centre will also undertake to forward data to other agencies, such as a World Data Centre. Data may also be exposed to public, global data access networks.

Why Must Data Be Submitted To The Australian Antarctic Data Centre?

1. To ensure that data are readily available for future research,
2. To ensure data are in an acceptable format for long-term management and that it is available and accessible into the future,
3. To ensure that supporting metadata and other documentation are accurate and comprehensively cover the submitted data to permit is re-use,
4. To ensure that there is an accurate and complete record of all Antarctic research data that have been acquired through the Australian Antarctic research program.
   

Failure to submit data within the designated period will be taken into account when assessing any subsequent AAS proposals. Failure to comply with this Data Policy will negatively affect support for any future project proposals.

What About Long-Term Monitoring Data?

A balance needs to be struck between the custodian working exclusively on their accumulated data and releasing some or all of it to the Australian Antarctic Data Centre in accordance with Treaty requirements. As a principle, on-going monitoring data should be submitted to the Data Centre as soon as possible after the date of its collection. Arrangements concerning the time of public release is up the Manager of the Australian Antarctic Data Centre in consultation with the custodian.

The Data Centre may be able to assist long-term monitoring projects by creating a system for secure on-line data management which can be used by all scientists associated with the monitoring project. Access to these types of data would be web-based and would be open only to personnel authorised by the Principal Investigator during the exclusive-use period.

Where Are Data Stored?

Once a project has been approved the Australian Antarctic Data Centre will discuss data management options with the Chief Investigator. Normally, the data would be archived by the AADC, placed in a live database and would be expected to go on-line using the AADC web site. Often data are then connected to global data access networks.

Alternative data management agencies may be considered if the facilities and practices used at these hosting sites can ensure long-term, public access to the data and guarantee data preservation into the future. This would generally mean that the data were readily identifiable, retrievable in suitable formats, available on-line and that the hosting agency had transparent, operational codes of practice for long-term data preservation.

Where requested, the AADC undertakes to forward data to other agencies such as World Data Centres.

How Are Data Stored?

The Australian Antarctic Data Centre has been established to manage electronic data. Data in hard-copy are generally not acceptable. In the case of valuable historical data in non-digital forms, a metadata record would however be written and the physical records stored within the AAD library system. In cases where it was justified on the basis of perceived value and use, older formats may be updated into electronic form as resources permit.

Data may be stored on a range of media and a variety of formats.

How Can Data Be Made Available After Submission?

Options include-

• Data are hyperlinked to one or more metadata records which are searchable via the CAASM metadata system,

• Data are accessed dynamically from an AADC database, via search using a web-based form or specialised application,

Ø      Data can then be accessed in tabular or map format,

Ø      Downloaded in other digital formats,

The need for Web delivery is emphasised by the increased profile the custodian and data will assume once a metadata record is completed. The Data Centre therefore buffers the custodian by automating requests for data. All data requests are automatically or manually logged. The custodian can request feedback on data usage from the Data Centre.

What About Scientific Samples?

Geological specimens must be lodged with Dr Phil O'Brien at Geoscience Australia (Phil.O'Brien@ga.gov.au), and bird banding records must be submitted to the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Schemes (Belinda Dettman: belinda.dettmann@ea.gov.au). Other specimens collected in Antarctica, which will form part of a reference collection, must be adequately catalogued and lodged with an appropriate collections management facility.

How do samples differ from data? Data are digital while samples are inherently physical. The Australian Antarctic Data Centre is designed to manage digital data and has no facilities for the storage of physical samples. However, the Division does manage several large collections and the AADC can provide advice about collections management and collections management facilities.

Principal Investigators are requested to write a metadata record to describe sample collections.

Australian Antarctic Data Centre Responsibilities

The AADC will ensure that:

• Metadata records are managed for all Australian Antarctic scientific research data and are made available for searching in an effective form,
• Australian sourced data are included in the international SCAR Antarctic Data Directory System,
• A wide range of Antarctic scientific data is managed for the long-term and made available in an easily accessible form,
• It maintains current best practice in relation to its repository management functions,
• Information is provided to scientists on the resources that are available to support their work and advice is available on the design of data collection programs and effective data management strategies,
• Where possible individual datasets will be grouped into larger associated data repositories to gradually build a more holistic and integrated data coverage across the Antarctic,
• It manages the Australian Antarctic Mapping Program, and
• Support is provided for the Antarctic Names and Medals Committee.

Scientist's Data Management Responsibilities

AAP Scientists will ensure that they:

• Comply with all aspects of the AAS Data Policy,
• Contact the Data Centre to discuss data issues preferably before submission of an AAS proposal,
• Submit data and associated metadata in an acceptable form to the Data Centre within two years of data collection.
• Make provision for the management of any physical samples in a catalogued collection, and
• Provide updated information on data management issues in annual Progress Reports.

Data Management Steps In Making An AAS Project Proposal

Note: In cases where major resource items will be required to support the research, applicants also need to complete an AAO Expression of Interest at least 2 years in advance of requiring these resources. If surveying and mapping support is requested during this process, scientists will be contacted by the Data Centre Mapping Officer. Otherwise the steps below are followed.

Step 1: AAS Application

Scientist - Consider data management aspects of the project and discuss any data management issues with the Data Centre prior to AAS final submission. If using an alternative data hosting agency prepare and submit a full data management plan.

Data Centre - understand the data management aspects of the project and where possible, assist in designing efficient data acquisition and management. Identify other relevant projects, data and scientists.

Step 2: AAS Project Evaluation

Data Centre - As required, advise ARAC / AAS on data management aspects of the project and record of PIs.

Step 3: AAS Project Approval

Data Centre - Preliminary metadata record automatically created in AADC's metadata database (CAASM). Notification of the URL of the metadata record e-mailed to the Principal Investigator.

Step 4: Data Collection

Scientist - Implement data acquisition & management. Update metadata.

Data Centre - Assist scientists with project data management. Potentially create (secure) on-line databases. Where possible provide facilities for data analysis (eg GIS). Provide supporting data. Provide advice and assistance with updating metadata record/s.

Step 5: Annual Progress Report

Scientist - Complete data management components (includes updating of metadata and publications).

Data Centre - Attach an evaluation of data management entries in Progress Reports. As required, comment on reports to PLs, Chief Scientist, ARAC or AAS.

Step 6: Project Completion

Scientist - Final update of metadata record/s. Prepare data in an acceptable format. Submit data to the Data Centre.

Data Centre - Assist in final metadata record/s update. Assist in all aspects of data management. Metadata record transmitted to AMD. Data received by Data Centre is checked and an appropriate management scheme decided with PI. Where requested, data and metadata transmitted to external agency. Where possible data are integrated into larger systems such as databases. Profiles of information searches, requests and downloads are logged and evaluated monthly. Data are then made publicly available after consultation with PI.

Diagrammatic Representation of Steps In The Process

Antarctic Data Management — an International Perspective

The (SCAR — COMNAP) Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM) is the focal point for Antarctic data management under the Antarctic Treaty System. JCADM is comprised of the managers of National Antarctic Data Centres (NADCs) or in situations where NADCs have not yet been established, a person who will be instrumental in ensuring NADC establishment.

JCADM's primary role is the building of an Antarctic Data Directory System. This system comprises all NADCs, the Antarctic Master Directory (AMD) and the NASA-based Global Change Master Directory (GCMD).

The GCMD provides open, online access to information on worldwide scientific data including earth sciences (geoscience, hydrospheric, biospheric, satellite remote sensing, atmospheric sciences), space physics, solar physics, planetary science and astronomy/astrophysics. The GCMD describes data held by university departments, government agencies, and other organisations worldwide. The GCMD is also responsible for the development and maintenance of the DIF (Directory Interchange Format) metadata standard and associated tools adopted by JCADM and the Australian Antarctic Data Centre.

Currently, national Antarctic research information may be located on-line by searching metadata records within the relevant NADC. Antarctic research and data can be located by searching metadata at the AMD. A broader range of international scientific data can be located by searching the GCMD.

Appendix A

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Strategic plan

Introduction
The Australian Antarctic Data Centre
Australian Antarctic Data Centre Structure
Appendix 1 - The Clients
Appendix 2 - Government Goals and the Australian Antarctic Data Centre

Introduction

The Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AADC) Strategic Plan has been developed in response to a need for an operational framework for the Data Centre. The Plan is designed to communicate key operational aspects of the AADC to management and clients. The Strategic Plan was originally developed during a meeting of all Australian Antarctic Data Centre staff on August 13, 1998 and has been updated periodically to reflect an evolving environment. This Strategic Plan is supported each year by an annual work-plan.

The Australian Antarctic Data Centre was established to provide a national facility to manage and disseminate scientific data resulting from Australia's Antarctic scientific research program in response to Article III.1.c of the Antarctic Treaty, which states that -

"Scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available".

Other responsibilities include:

• Mapping of the Australian Antarctic and subantarctic Territories.
• Developing and maintining an Australian Antarctic State of the Environment Reporting System.

The Australian Antarctic Data Centre

Mission

To provide an efficient service for locating and accessing relevant Antarctic scientific information.

Objective

To facilitate more effective Antarctic research and operations by developing and managing a comprehensive, accurate and accessible scientific information base.

Key Success Areas

1. Develop a skilled team to
2. Acquire, manage and disseminate information (The Process),
3. Deliver data, information, maps and advice (The Products) and
4. Contribute to achieving Government goals (The Outcome)

1. Develop a Skilled Team (The People)

Objective

To create and maintain an effective team within a satisfying and productive work environment.

Strategies

• Develop a fair, flexible, supportive and streamlined approach to management of Data Centre staff
• Facilitate training of staff for the development of, and sharing of skills in support of the objectives of the Data Centre
• Maintain an awareness of technical developments relevant to the Data Centre and ensure an environment exists that supports the adoption of effective new technologies
• Establish individual plans for best-practice procedures and contingency plans for identified vulnerabilities
• Develop effective communication skills and procedures both internally and externally

We will know we are successful when we

• Have a satisfying and productive work environment,
• Have skilled and helpful staff that are addressing client needs in a timely manner,
• Can improve the efficiency of Data Centre operations,
• Have staff that are comfortable with procedures covering all aspects of Data Centre objectives and
• Are able to supply relevant information about any aspect of Data Centre objectives.

2. Acquire, Manage and Disseminate Scientific Information (The Process)

Objective

Build an effective information management infrastructure for Australian Antarctic scientific data/information.

Strategies

• Develop procedures that ensure effective interaction with scientists from project approval to project completion
• Develop, deploy and document best practice technology, standards, protocols and procedures that facilitate management of, and access to Antarctic scientific data
• Ensure system and data integrity and security, identifying, documenting and managing risks
• Where feasible, add value to data by integration into fewer discrete components

We will know we are successful when we-

• Have regular and productive involvement with Australian Antarctic scientists, Program Leaders and science advisory bodies,
• Can deliver appropriate and timely information in an efficient manner.
• Have plans and procedures in-place to eliminate or mitigate any contingency involving loss of system or data integrity and
• Can reduce the number of discrete data components managed by the Data Centre.

3. Deliver Data and Advice (The Products)

Objective

To provide ready access to a comprehensive Antarctic scientific information base.

Strategies

• Develop procedures that ensure effective interaction with scientists from project approval to project completion
• Ensure that all data generated within the Data Centre meets client needs, is being efficiently collected, managed and distributed
• Ensure each dataset acquired is handled in a manner endorsed by the custodian and clients as well as conforming to efficient Data Centre management procedures, national and international standards

We will know we are successful when-

• Data from all AAS (Australian Antarctic Science) projects is being documented using metadata, managed and distributed in an effective and timely manner.
• Data for which the Data Centre is custodian is being efficiently collected and processed, meets the needs of clients and is distributed in a useful format and a timely a manner.
• Data is being managed in accordance with Data Centre procedures, and can be discovered and displayed in a form that is endorsed by the custodian, the client community and national and international standards.

4. Contribute to Achieving Government Goals

Objective

Contribute to the achievement of Government goals for the Antarctic Program.

Strategies

• Make data resulting from scientific research in the Australian Antarctic scientific program freely available in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty Article III.I.c
• Ensure that data is available data from the Australian Antarctic science programs-
  • On environmental protection of the Antarctic and subantarctic.
  • On global climate change.
  • That is of Practical and Economic and National Significance
• Facilitate people to hold positions of influence on national and international committees relevant to the support of the Australian Antarctic program.
• Provide leadership in national and international fora that relate to the development of effective information management strategies in support of the Antarctic Treaty System.
• Promote the value of data management within the Australian Antarctic Program by detailing the responsibilities under the Antarctic Treaty System

We will know we are successful when-

• Data from all AAS projects is being effectively managed and freely disseminated,
• Staff of the Data Centre are in positions of influence that relate to Antarctic data management,
• The Data Centre is providing leadership in data management to relevant national and international fora and our policies and procedures are being adopted by national and international organisations and
• The Government, the Australian Antarctic Division, the Antarctic Treaty System and scientists all value the work of the Data Centre.

Australian Antarctic Data Centre Structure

The Australian Antarctic Data Centre structure provides for:

• effective management of scientific information, maximising the linkage of information to research, policies and programs;
• coordination of data acquisition within the Australian Antarctic program;
• horizontal linkages to peer organisations both nationally and internationally;
• flexible allocation of resources to meet priorities, accountability for those resources, and the capacity to allocate additional resource for specific tasks; and
• efficient performance of key tasks which are generic across all areas such as information management, applications development, GIS and corporate support.

Appendix 1 - The Clients

• Science
  Australian Antarctic Division
  Antarctic Marine Living Resources
  Space and Atmospheric and Science
  Biology
  Glaciology
  Human Impacts
  Human Biology and Medicine
• Australian Universities
• Committee for Earth Observation Satellites - International Directory Network
• Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP)
• Cooperative Research Centres
• CSIRO
• Educational organisations
• Primary schools
• Secondary schools
• Universities
• Global Change Master Directory
• Antarctic Master Directory
• Non-Australian research organisations
• Netherlands
• Other Australian research organisations
• National Tidal Facility
• Australian Heritage Commission
• Geoscience Australia
• Public
• Treaty Parties
• Policy
• Australian Archives
• ANZLIC Directory Working Group
• Arctic Environmental Data Directory
• Australian Antarctic Division
• Policy Section
• Environmental Management and Audit Unit
• CCAMLR
• Committee for Earth Observation Satellites - International Directory Network
• Global Change Master Directory
• International Hydrographic Office
• Other government departments
• DFAT
• Naval Hydrographic Office
• Permanent Committee on Tides and Mean Sea Level
• The Treaty & Treaty Parties
• SCAR
• JCADM
• Life Sciences Standing Group
• Physical Sciences Standing Group
• Geosciences Standing Group
• Geodesy and Geographic Information
• COMNAP
• Tourist Operator
• Logistics & Support
• Geoscience Australia
• Australian Antarctic Division
• Shipping and Air Operations
• Engineering
• Australian Hydrographic Office
• National Tidal Facility
• Tourist Operators

Appendix 2 - Government Goals and the Australian Antarctic Data Centre

Undertake Scientific Work of Practical, Economic & National Significance

• Identification of research and resulting data (metadata)
• Readily accessible data repository supporting scientific research
• Placing all information on-line (only requires Web browser)
• Provision of fundamental data (eg base mapping)
• Data synthesis (eg common format databases)
• Education & advice
• Preparation of value-added products (eg databases and heli-ops maps)
• Development and maintenance of the Antarctic station tide gauges
• Development of an aerial camera system for use in helicopters

To Understand the Role of the Antarctic in Global Climate Change

• Southern Ocean Sea Level Network
• Mapping - eg moraines & old beaches
• Support of the geodetic network (Ground Control Point Database)
• Climate and related metadata & data
• Contributions through JCADM to SCAR on climate data
• Development of the SCAR RiSCC Biodiversity database

To Protect the Antarctic Environment

• spatial data management infrastructure (GIS)
• fundamental and applications spatial data
• Development and maintenance of our State of the Antarctic environment system (SIMR)
• staff expertise in environmental management
• knowledge of environmental research
• Development of the SCAR RiSCC Biodiversity database

To Enhance Australia's influence in the Antarctic Treaty System

• Implementing Treaty directives - Article III.1.c
• Generated XXII ATCM Resolution 4 (1998)
• Chief Officer of JCADM (1997-2000), Vice CO (2003-2004), Regional coordinator (2000-2004)
• Setting agenda and methodologies for addressing Article III.1.c
• Development and management of Antarctic Data Directory System
• Leadership by example using AADC data management procedures
• Databases and GIS delivery structures
• Specific projects in support of SCAR and COMNAP eg SCAR map catalogue, gazetteer (GGI)
• Antarctic Data Directory System
• Metadata support of SCAR WG-GGI
• Data support to CEP and other Treaty bodies (Biodiversity database and SIMR)
• Pre-DIF implementation (Treaty Information Exchange)
• Hosting and maintaining the JCADM Web site
• Hosting the SCAR Map Catalogue
• Hosting and maintaining the National Antarctic Data Centre status database

Our collaborators

Data Sharing Networks - International

The Data Centre participates in a number of international data sharing networks. Since December 2003 the AADC has contributed data to the information management arm of the Global Census of Marine Life (CoML) Program. This data network is called OBIS. With the establishment of distributed global data nodes, all Antarctic data for the CoML is now being aggregated and served via a regional node of OBIS, called SCAR-MarBIN. The Australian Antarctic Division is also the lead agency for the CoML field project, called the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CaML), which will provide census information on Antarctic marine species diversity.

In addition, all AADC biological data, both marine and land-based is fed into the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), a global biodiversity data network.

Data Sharing Networks - National

The Data Centre also participates in national data sharing networks. The Australian marine community has formed a consortium of collaborators who are working together to improve access to marine data and are building Australia's marine spatial data infrastructure. This consortium is called the Australian Ocean Data Centre Joint Facility (AODC JF) and consists of the AADC, AIMS, CSIRO, RAN, BoM and GA). BlueNet is a current project of the AODC JF. As a participant in this project the AADC is providing data hosting services to help make marine data held by the Australian academic sector more accessible.

Data Management Networks

The AADC is a member of the Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM). This committee was established in 1997 to manage Antarctic data and has over 30 members. JCADM helps facilitate co-operation between scientists and nations with regard to managing scientific data. The AADC hosts the JCADM web site and community list server.