YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED

[Bruce Raup]

GLIMS Affiliates:

This question pertains to the method of transferring data from Regional
Centers to NSIDC.  There's been some discussion about it on the
glims_database list, but it needs a wider audience.  I apologize to those
who don't care about this level of detail.

The GLIMS database is designed and implemented.  We are close to having a
good framework for transferring complex spatial data and metadata from
Regional Centers to NSIDC.  However, one final design issue needs to be
resolved before we can start pouring glaciological data into the large
empty container we've created here.

THE QUESTION:  Shall we use ESRI shapefiles for transferring all scalar
data and metadata (dropping the Parameter Value Language (.pvl) file) and
velocity vector data (dropping another text file (.vec) format) from RCs
to NSIDC?

For reference, see
http://spot.colorado.edu/~braup/glims_database/data_transfer_specification.txt
sections 2 and 3, and 7.

We would still use a text file, in Endnote export format, for literature
references.

We'd like to have this decided soon, and we'd like to get feedback from
more than the one person that suggested the idea in the first place.
Without further feedback, we'll probably go with the shapefile solution,
given that most RCs use GIS tools (see
http://spot.colorado.edu/~braup/glims_algor/glims_sw_tool_survey.html),
and the fact that we're using shapefiles already.

Please cast your vote.  (If it's not clear what this is all about, let me
know.)

Bruce

-- 
Bruce Raup
National Snow and Ice Data Center                     Phone:  303-492-8814
University of Colorado, 449 UCB                       Fax:    303-492-2468
Boulder, CO  80309-0449                                    braup at nsidc.org