The need for atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) data in a wide range of applications such as fusion energy, astrophysics, laser-produced plasma research, plasma processing of materials, and medicine is apparent. Yet funding for data centers that serve to collect, archive, evaluate, and disseminate AMO data is rarely given a high priority by the community or funding agencies. In light of these facts, and especially recognizing the present phase of contracting federal budgets for science and technology, efforts must be made to make the operation of AMO data centers more cost effective and more visible and useful to their customers.
In particular, several avenues exist to provide a greater leveraging of the limited human resources and funds available to AMO data centers:
(1) Modern database and data communication technology must be utilized. (more)
(2) Greater cooperation and coordination among data centers, data users, and data producers is needed. (more)
(3) Data center must serve more than one specific community and draw support from more than one specific funding source whenever possible. (more)
(4) Archival and research journals must play a role in preserving and allowing ready access to data. (more)
(5) Workshops and meetings can provide a needed forum. (more)
Preprint -- "On-line Atomic Data Access" to appear in the proceedings of the 10th APS Topical Conference on Atomic Processes in Plasmas