APPLICATE data management is built on the model that was launched for the International Polar Year, distributed data management where information can be located at physically distributed data centres with datasets described through discovery metadata (to enable consumers to find them) and use metadata (to enable consumers to use them). This is in line with the activities of the combined SAON/IASC Arctic Data Committee.
This is usually called metadata driven data management. Discovery metadata are similar to library index cards and are ingested in the APPLICATE catalogue. The APPLICATE catalogue is searchable through a human search interface available in this website and through an OAI-PMH end point which can be used for machine access.
In order to publish your data through APPLICATE, some background information is provided in this page. Further information will provided in sub pages.
On a general basis the process has the following steps:
- Produce your data
- Encode and document your data using the NetCDF file format and the Climate and Forecast Convention for use metadata.
- Share your data
- Create discovery metadata for your dataset (GCMD DIF or ISO19115, or add ACDD global attributes to your NetCDF files).
- Make it available through application servers offering interoperability interfaces (e.g. THREDDS)
- Ingest discovery metadata in the APPLICATE catalog
APPLICATE partners can upload data that shall be shared to the APPLICATE Data Portal. Further information on how to do this is found in the section devoted to Support. If data are available through a local setup that is compliant with the APPLICATE data portal, only discovery metadata are required to make data searchable and accessible in the APPLICATE Data Portal. If ACDD attributes are available, the APPLICATE data management system can create discovery metadata from your data files.
Anybody can search and access APPLICATE datasets through the APPLICATE Data Portal.
APPLICATE Data Management recommends everybody to properly cite data they access and use.
If in doubt how to do this, please contact the Principal investigator of the dataset you have accessed. Information on the Principal Investigator is available in the discovery metadata for the dataset.