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World Data Center (WDC) for Oceanography is one component of a global network of discipline subcenters that facilitate international exchange of scientific data. Originally established during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58, the World Data Center System functions under the guidance of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). WDC for Oceanography, Silver Spring, is collocated with, and operated by, the U.S. National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC). In accordance with principles set forth by ICSU, WDC for Oceanography acquires, catalogues, and archives data, publications, and data inventory forms and makes them available to requesters in the international scientific community. Oceanographic data contributed to the WDC become automatically available to scientific investigators in any country. Thus, there can be no restrictions or limitations placed on data exchanged through the WDC system. However, for certain types of data, the exchange of inventories of available data in a WDC subcenter may be considered acceptable in lieu of the transfer of the actual data sets.
Publications
and Data Products
All data and publications received by WDC for Oceanography are described in the "Catalogue of Data and Report of Data Exchange". Publications received by WDC for Oceanography that do not contain cruise data or information are inventoried then provided to the Central NOAA Library for inclusion in the NOAA Library Catalog. WDC for Oceanography is operated by the U.S. NODC Ocean Climate Laboratory and NODC provides support for all required computer operations. Data submitted to the WDC that are amenable to processing and incorporation into NODC's data files thus become part of NODC's global data bank, the World Ocean Database, and are available through the NODC Internet Website or by contacting WDC for Oceanography. Cruise Summary Report (ROSCOP) Program WDC for Oceanography maintains the Report of Observations/Samples Collected by Oceanographic Programs (ROSCOP) international marine data inventory system. (The 3rd edition of ROSCOP, entitled Cruise Summary Report, is now in use.) Data inventory forms, such as ROSCOP, enable inventory centers to determine the availability of internationally exchangeable data in advance of the actual receipt of the data and are also useful in providing a referral service to data not yet available through the WDC system. The WDC utilizes the automated ROSCOP information base* maintained by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). To obtain blank CSR/ROSCOP forms you may contact WDC for Oceanography, Silver Spring. Forms are also available from NODC Liaison Officers, all WDC’s for Oceanography, and the ICES Service Hydrographique. Exchange Policy WDC for Oceanography is responsible for the provision of materials to requesters either in exchange or at a cost not to exceed that of processing and shipping. For certain types of requests, limitations in funding, personnel, or facilities may preclude direct or free provision of data or information by the WDC. In general, reasonably-sized requests from national or regional contributors to WDC for Oceanography may be considered as exchange. For requests for unusually large amounts of data, for specially formatted data, for derived data products, or for data to be obtained from outside the WDC system, WDC for Oceanography will often be required to recover the costs of processing and shipping, or, at its discretion, may arrange for the request to be serviced by a regional, national, or discipline center. General inquiries about NODC participation in international activities should be directed to: Inquiries regarding the specific functions and services of World Data Center for Oceanography, Silver Spring, should be directed to: More information on the World Data Center System. |
| Last modified: Wed, 10-Oct-2007 19:48 UTC | NODC.Webmaster@noaa.gov | ||
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