Management of the GOSIC

Facilitating Access to Global Observing Systems Data and Information

The Joint Data and Information Management Panel (JDIMP) of the Global Observing Systems established the GOSIC in 1997. The GOSIC was established as a pilot project to develop methods for easy on-line access to the comprehensive base of the GCOS, the GOOS and the GTOS data and information. The GOSIC was developed at the University of Delaware building on experience with information systems for international climate research programs. For the first few years the development of the GOSIC was guided by the JDIMP. After writing a high-level data and information plan for the Global Observing Systems, the JDIMP completed its work and was disbanded in 2000.

Guidance and evaluation of the GOSIC is provided by the Science Steering Committees of the three observing systems. The GOSIC reports at Steering Committee meetings and receives directions for further development. Performance evaluation during the development stage was achieved by means of a review group appointed by the Secretariats. Reviews were conducted at the University of Delaware in April 2001, and October 2003. There were 2 experts present for each of the observing systems for these reviews. (1st review report / 2nd review report)

The GOSIC Review and Evaluation

Reviews of the GOSIC program were held in 2001 and 2003 (1st review report / 2nd review report). The reviews were generally supportive of the GOSIC and strongly supportive of several of the more unique features and content. Both review teams felt that the GOSIC performs a necessary service and should be continued. Both reviews produced prioritized recommendations for improvements. All recommendations of the first and second reviews have been implemented.

Funding Status

The GOSIC and the GOSIC Portal are supported and hosted at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), and the U.S. GCOS Program on behalf of the global observing community.

Cooperation with Existing Organizations

Several existing national and international organizations deal with global data collection, analysis, and exchange. To the extent practical and possible, the GCOS, GOOS and GTOS build on the programs of these organizations through partnerships. Examples include programs of the WMO, IOC, FAO, NASA, and the research programs of ICSU and others.

These existing programs are generally designed to deal with all data of a specific type that are available for national and international distribution. The GCOS, GOOS and GTOS data will often be collected, analyzed, and documented to a standard suitable for detection and understanding of climate change. These data and products will require management procedures and data and information dissemination schedules and content that differ from those available now from the existing systems. Where possible, the GOSIC will work with the existing systems to design and develop access and documentation procedures that are compatible and can be implemented within the existing systems to the benefit of all.

The GOSIC cooperates with the NASA Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) to provide search capability for global observing systems metadata. Portals for the three observing systems were developed and are available on the GOSIC site at http://gosic.org/search_GCMD.asp.