Science Data Preservation Implementation and Why it is Important

Remote Sensing data generated by NASA to study Earth's geophysical processes was initiated in 1960 with the launch of the first Television Infrared Observation Satellite Program (TIROS), to develop a meteorological satellite information system. What would be deemed as a primitive data set by today's standards, early Earth science missions were the foundation upon which today's remote sensing instruments have built their scientific success, and tomorrow's instruments will yield science not yet imagined. Maintaining and ensuring the use of Earth science remote sensing data and information that spans decades of data capture is essential as we learn new ways to make use of this data in science research and applications, often reflecting back to the oldest useful data collected. NASA, NOAA, and interagency Scientific Data Stewardship requirements have been documented to ensure the long term preservation and usability of remote sensing science data. In recent years, Earth science information data system partnerships (Federation of Earth Science Information Partners) and working groups (NASA's Earth Science Data System Working Group) have organized committees that specifically examine standards, processes, and ontologies that can best be employed for the preservation of remote sensing data, supporting documentation, and data provenance information. In addition, The Open Provenance Model (OPM) is being designed to facilitate the definition, description, and exchange of provenance information. This presentation describes the activities, difficulties, and implementations for preserving instrument, processing, and science information generated for 20 Earth science datasets, spanning 40 years of geophysical measurements. Guided by the huge efforts of the information technology groups, and Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Guiding Principles, NASA's Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) continues the process of capturing instrument and data documentation, and data provenance information, for it's resident atmospheric science and model data. Preservation implementation, progress and status are provided for the plethora of information being organized by, and captured from, instrument/science teams. In addition, unanticipated preservation/implementation questions and difficulties in the implementation process are explored, and the road forward is presented. The latter will include lessons learned (thus far) and lessons to be employed. NASA remote sensing data is a national resource with great scientific value that will be preserved and shared for future scientific research, by generations to come. Conscientious preservation preparations will lead to optimal information preservation. It is the hope that this presentation encourages early preparations by other data stewardship teams.