Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Polar Climate Data Research and Management  (PolCDRM)

Outline
The overall objective of this project is to improve the exchange, availability and accessibility of scientific environmental data and information under IPY 2007-2008. The basic tasks of project: (i) to develop the environmental climatic data sets for polar regions and provide climate studies; (ii) developing and operating a distributed data and information infrastructure (network), enabling user friendly remote access to these climatic data sets and other data and product sources; (i) The activity for development of the environmental climate date sets will include: ·the inventorying the existing (WDCs and other international sources, Russian organizations) the meteorological, oceanographic and other data sets and preparing the integrated metadata base; ·perform the assessment and analyses of resultant data completeness, finding gaps and poorly covered by observations regions and periods. Estimate how these gaps could be vital for climate research, and, based on the results, performing the efforts to fill the gaps. Use alternative data sources and alternative platforms, if possible, for this goal ·the development of the content and other specifications of climatic data sets based on a Framework of the IPY 2007-2008 and WCRP, CLIVAR and GCOS requirements. It is planned that climatic data will include both observed data and monthly, seasonal and annual statistics of key climate parameters, as well as derived characteristics (such as parameters for cloud reconstructing, etc.); · the improving and harmonization the software, metadata and formats and other tools based on WMO/IOC standards for preparing the climatic data sets; ·the data reformatting to unified formats, pre-procesing, quality and consistency check, homogeneity check, etc. Based on funds available, the special efforts to digitize the data vital for polar climate, but currently contained in hard copies, will be provided. ·performing the studies of observed climate and its variability for polar regions (based on data only, i.e. studies based on reanalyses, model outputs, etc., will not be included).(ii)The activity for developing and operate a distributed data and information network will include: ·the developing a data management scheme for establishing this network based on the the Data Policy and Management Sub-Committe of IPY 2007-2008 requriments and reccomendations; ·designing and describing the technical functionalities and specifications of distributed data and information infrastructure system based on approaches and technologies of WMO GICS and IODE/JCOMM E2EDM prototypes and other existing systems ·developing common data structures, transport data exchange protocol, software for the managing the distributed data sources and aggregating the data from various sources for integrated use; ·developing the WWW and GIS-based remote access software to allow the end-user to formulate a query patameters, space-time and other criteria, visualization of agregated data and information, preserving the data for following studies and other needs; ·the insstalation of these software and other tools in organizations-participants of project and other organizations that can be involve in distributed data and information network, connection of this network with IPY DIS and supporting the operations of this virtual data and information infractructure making the results of project and other informational resources available to worldwide research and customer community.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The research under this project will advance the avalibility the data and products for IPY 2007-2008 studies and other activity, scientific understanding of climate processes in polar regions, their relationship to the processes in temperate zones.It will give improved climate data for climate model calibration, for empirical analysis of polar climate variabilityl creating the basis for better realization of operational monitoring schemes of polar regions.On basis of a virtual data and information network, the observational data and products will become on-line available to scientific community, to decision makers in the economy and social spheres, in the forms and formats, most convenient for their practical needs.The worlwide community will inherit the results of this project, for future polar climate research and monitoring, for integrated data and information management on basis of the modern and perspective information technology, etc.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The collaboration between World Data Centers on meteorology, oceanography, snow and ice, will be involved. The completed, currently going and pending international and bi-lateral projects on digitizing, management and studies (CARDS, COADS, Upper-air digitizing, GODAR) will be involved.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The project will cover Arctic and Antarctic regions concentrating both on data rich areas where maximally possible amount of available observational data from regular observations and expeditions, and on data poor regions. However, this project will not presume own field activities.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The only facilities are computing and telecommunication facilities. Servers and telecommunications will be used for other activities, in parallel to this project

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Telecommunication and computer infrastructures will leave a legacy. The main heritage for future is data, data sets, data bases and information products, that will remain as the valid output plus a basis for future extending and updating

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
National agency
Other sources of support

It will be distributed between the World Data Centers (WDCs), redundant copying and measures of information protection from damages, viruses, unauthorized access, etc., will secure the outputs of the project. The facilities and hardware will be protected by a typical set of measures

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes, the project has been endorsed at IPY 2007-2008 National Research Program of Russian Federation

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?


Project is a part of National Program of Russian Federation (NPRF) on the Third IPY. It is strongly connected to the other parts of NPRF. It also is part of WMO, ICSU and IOC efforts, such as WCRP, WCDMP, CLIVAR, JCOMM

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be managed without creation of a special international managing structure. The authorities of the institutions involved in project (RIHMI-WDC, AARI of Roshydromet) will keep responsibility for the project. The established infrastructure of these institutions, as on its status by the beginning of project, will be used for project realization. This project will have close collaborations with the the Data Policy and Management Sub-Committe of IPY 2007-2008 and also with the National IPY Committee of RF. Project meetings, workshops will be arranged, to discuss the main issues related to project. In case of involvement of international funds, the managing regulations of international and foreign bodies involved, will be applied.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Outputs of project will be available, among others, to the education of graduate and post-graduate students by WWW. As soon as informational resources have one of the highest value, their provision will be a step in outreach.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
This project itself is oriented to data management decisions, as its indispensable part.The a virtual data and information network will be component of IPY2007-2008 DIS Portal infrastructure. All data sets and other resources will be part of WDCs data collections, and technical specifications of metadata and data formats and other tools will be compatible or adequate the existing ana perspective WMO/IOC data management standards and standards that will be recommended by Data Policy and Management Sub-Committe of IPY 2007-2008.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
On national level (budget funding plus funds from possible interested NGO). Also special efforts will be given to seek supporting funding from the International Bodies and from possible interested organizations outside Russian Federation

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
This project is oriented on data management issues and essential project outcome is furnished to on development and operating the distributed data and information network which can become the basis of modern information infrastructure for polar regions, operating on permanent future base.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Marsel Shaimardanov
6, Korolyov str
Obninsk
Kaluga region
249035
Russia

Tel: (095) 255-2194
Mobile: no
Fax: (095) 255-2225
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation