Inter-University Upper Atmosphere Global Observation Network (IUGONET) Metadata Database and Its Interoperability

The IUGONET is a Japanese program to build a metadata database for ground-based observations of the upper atmosphere [1]. The project began in 2009 with five Japanese institutions which archive data observed by radars, magnetometers, photometers, radio telescopes and helioscopes, and so on, at various altitudes from the Earth's surface to the Sun. Systems have been developed to allow searching of the above described metadata. We have been updating the system and adding new and updated metadata. The IUGONET development team adopted the SPASE metadata model [2] to describe the upper atmosphere data. This model is used as the common metadata format by the virtual observatories for solar-terrestrial physics. It includes metadata referring to each data file (called a 'Granule'), which enable a search for data files as well as data sets. Further details are described in [2] and [3]. Currently, three additional Japanese institutions are being incorporated in IUGONET. Furthermore, metadata of observations of the troposphere, taken at the observatories of the middle and upper atmosphere radar at Shigaraki and the Meteor radar in Indonesia, have been incorporated. These additions will contribute to efficient interdisciplinary scientific research. In the beginning of 2013, the registration of the 'Observatory' and 'Instrument' metadata was completed, which makes it easy to overview of the metadata database. The number of registered metadata as of the end of July, totalled 8.8 million, including 793 observatories and 878 instruments. It is important to promote interoperability and/or metadata exchange between the database development groups. A memorandum of agreement has been signed with the European Near-Earth Space Data Infrastructure for e-Science (ESPAS) project, which has similar objectives to IUGONET with regard to a framework for formal collaboration. Furthermore, observations by satellites and the International Space Station are being incorporated with a view for making/linking metadata databases. The development of effective data systems will contribute to the progress of scientific research on solar terrestrial physics, climate and the geophysical environment. Any kind of cooperation, metadata input and feedback, especially for linkage of the databases, is welcomed. References 1. Hayashi, H. et al., Inter-university Upper Atmosphere Global Observation Network (IUGONET), Data Sci. J., 12, WDS179-184, 2013. 2. King, T. et al., SPASE 2.0: A standard data model for space physics. Earth Sci. Inform. 3, 67-73, 2010, doi:10.1007/s12145-010-0053-4. 3. Hori, T., et al., Development of IUGONET metadata format and metadata management system. J. Space Sci. Info. Jpn., 105-111, 2012. (in Japanese)